A desirable antique chess board, albeit with some wear. James Leuchar established the business at 47, Piccadilly in 1794, and the business moved to 38 Piccadilly shortly before James Leuchars died in 1823. As with similar business in Fleet Street (Lund and Clavert), Leuchars specialised in luxury goods for the carriage trade: in 1837 the firm was awared the royal warrant for supplying dressing cases to the royal family.
The “Cartonpierre” style is very much influenced by the fashionable Gothic taste of the mid to late 19th century, and can also be found on the similar Cartonpierre papier-mache boxes supplied by Jaques of London.