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William F. Drueke began making quality chess sets and other games before World War I. This set of pieces is from the 1980s. Every manufacturer experiences the disappointments of mass production. There is a famous U.S. postage stamp where the airplane was printed upside down. The White queen is swirled with white flourishes. These are in the plastic, not painted on. Apparently during the mixing process the resins did not blend perfectly creating these odd patterns. They are found only in the White pieces; the Black men are all uniform. This did not happen often. This set is probably one of a kind, produced by a glitch in the manufacturing process. The kings stand 3 5/8 inches tall with a base diameter of 1 1/2 inches.
The felts are uneven, seven were gone and had to be replaced. Both queens have chips to their coronets. Some of the White men have slight age-related discoloration; it is noticeable only in low light, as the photograph of the king reveals. This is a set more for playing than collecting. We added a cigar box for easy storage. Yes, they all fit, as the photograph shows. Worth every penny.
The listing title has nothing to do with the Heart hit song, "Little Queen." I just happened to hear it on the radio, so that's how inspiration struck.
We combine shipping! To combine, place all your purchases in the shopping cart and press "proceed to checkout." Follow us! We found a number of antique sets! We have an ongoing sale of 18th, 19th, 20th, and 21st century chess clocks, books, and sets! Watch for our big sales!