Wooden chess pieces abound in variety, style, shape, and material. The production of wood sets has grown tremendously in the last few centuries, enabling one to search out a set of chessmen perfectly suited to one's simple or refined tastes.
Interestingly, India, the birthplace of chess, is today the largest producer of wooden chess pieces. Craftsmanship ranges from low cost, functional wood chess pieces to fine sets worth thousands of dollars.
Because quality black
ebony woods are in less abundant supply and harder to source
, these pieces are more expensive and reserved for more refined sets.
Ebonized sets cost less but are similarly black.
Easier to source, and lower cost woods,
shishamwood (or sheeshamwood), and
boxwood are most often the light side of chessmen.
