Studio Anne Carlton

Studio Anne Carlton’s (SAC) origins date back to 1969 when Anne Finestein created her first chess set for architect husband David, an avid chess player. This first set was greatly admired by many of David’s friend and requests for copies came in from chess enthusiasts all over the country. In fact, the demand was such that Anne moved her factory from a small garden shed into an old fish smoking house on Flinton Street in Hull where production facilities could be developed.

By 1979 Studio Anne Carlton Ltd had become a major force in the games industry, with many innovative products and ideas. In the early 1980s, the company was acquired by Clayhithe Plc with the intention of taking it forward and expanding into gift and leisure. A 22,000 sq ft factory was built on the Hull site.

In 2014 Ancestors’ Group acquired the rights to manufacture and distribute the SAC range of decorative sets and classic games together with all the design rights and originals of all the surviving models and moved production to their own UK factory in Folkestone, UK where all the themed chess sets are now made with love, care and attention. Ancestors’ being a manufacturer of heritage products in the UK and casters in pewter were able to move the SAC brand into new areas of distribution and introduce, over the course of time, new sets. All production of the chess set pieces is now in the UK and a far superior product is now produced.