Kiln the King is a London-based ceramic studio dedicated exclusively to handcrafted chess sets.

Every piece is shaped by hand without moulds or repetition, meaning no two sets or even pieces in a set are ever exactly the same.

We believe that utility, art, and focus are the foundations of a thoughtful home. A chess set sits naturally at the intersection of these ideals: an object to be used, focused on and returned to again and again.

Each set takes weeks to complete, from forming and refining to glazing and multiple firings. As a result, we produce no more than 60 chess sets each year, every one made start to finish by the chess maker.

In a world of mass production, Kiln the King exists to make objects slowly, deliberately, and with the intention that they will be played, handled and displayed.