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Jeux de Salon ‘Delaire’ chess set label

Contributed by Eva Silvertant on Jan 12th, 2025. Artwork published in
circa 1904
.
Jeux de Salon ‘Delaire’ chess set label 1
Source: www.facebook.com Walter Biensur. License: All Rights Reserved.

Here is a gorgeous label on a box of a travel chess set sold by Henri Delaire in the first half of the 20th century. The manufacturer of the chess set is unknown.

Walter Biensur, the owner of the set, writes:

The first address is also that of the French Chess Federation, because Henri Delaire was also the first president:

“It was Henri Delaire who succeeded, in 1921, in giving life to the French Chess Federation (FFE), itself attached to the International Chess Federation (FIDE), which he founded in 1924 with Pierre Vincent. Henri Delaire is therefore an integral part of the world history of chess. [Translated from Echecs & Strategie]

Delaire was a chess theorist, Director of La Stratégie, the great monthly chess information magazine between 1867 and 1940. He was also the founder-honorary President of the Cercle Philidor.” [Translated from Le Café de la Régence]

I figured the title ‘Delaire’ was lettering, but Florian found that it’s Spread (c. 1887), issued by Farmer. He also found the typeface used for the Lombardic-style ‘Jeux De Salon’, which is Lettres Manuscrits, shown by Deberny & Cie in a c. 1878 type specimen.

The tagline ‘Spécialité pour Joueurs d’Echecs’ is set in the bold style of Cheltenham (1902), designed by Bertram Goodhue (assisted by Hannibal Ingalls Kimball, director of the Cheltenham Press)—although Hrant Papazian suggests it’s likely set in a French imitation of Cheltenham, as it would have been costly to transport lead type overseas. The first instance of é seems to be set in a larger point size of the same typeface, perhaps due to a lack of another é in the same point size.

The addresses (‘85, Faubourg Saint-Denis, 85’ & ‘4 et 6, Rue des Pyramides’) are set in Della Robbia (1902) by Thomas Maitland Cleland. The typeface used for ‘Mème Maison :’ is Sabines (c. 1901) by Beaudoire.

And finally, ‘Paris’ is set in Blanchard (1900), issued by Inland Type Foundry.

Jeux de Salon ‘Delaire’ chess set label 2
Source: www.facebook.com Walter Biensur. License: All Rights Reserved.
Jeux de Salon ‘Delaire’ chess set label 3
Source: www.facebook.com Walter Biensur. License: All Rights Reserved.
Jeux de Salon ‘Delaire’ chess set label 4
Source: www.facebook.com Walter Biensur. License: All Rights Reserved.
Jeux de Salon ‘Delaire’ chess set label 5
Source: www.facebook.com Walter Biensur. License: All Rights Reserved.

Typefaces

  • Lettres Manuscrits
  • Spread
  • Cheltenham
  • Della Robbia
  • Sabines
  • Blanchard (Inland)

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Artwork location

1 Comment on “Jeux de Salon ‘Delaire’ chess set label”

  1. Thanks for sharing this beautiful find here, Eva. Four of the five typefaces didn’t have any in-use examples before, and two weren’t even in the database yet. A nice yield for one old chess label!

    Della Robbia originated at the Bruce foundry in New York, but it was also cast by Peignot & Fils on 14, Rue Cabanis in Paris’s 14th arrondissement, see this specimen.

    Similarly, Spread was shown by Farmer in New York. The same design was also carried by Caslon, under the name Enchorial Expanded.

    The English foundry had a branch in Paris, the Fonderie Caslon on 13, Rue Sainte-Cécile in the 9th arrondissement. Blanchard started life at the Inland foundry in St. Louis. Fonderie Caslon cast and sold it as Morland.

    And Hrant’s suggestion is correct: Cheltenham was produced in Paris, too. Caslon’s local branch presented it in a specimen from around 1913, under the original name, suggesting it was properly licensed.

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