Page 24 - June 2018 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles
P. 24
T hrough the ages, nearly all cultures have developed pre-marked surfaces used for playing games. Players, drawing
on skill, strategy or luck while following pre-determined rules, move game pieces, like seeds, animal droppings,
or pebbles, on patterned paths along their surfaces.
Vintage game boards, which are available in wide variety, not only reflect social customs and cares of their day. Since
many existed in multiple versions, or as variants of earlier ones, they also transcend time and place. Moreover, gaming
reflects our common humanity. Then, as now, people were drawn to games like moths to flame.
Senet game boards, which date to pre-dynastic Egypt, were often
carved in stone. Though its rules are lost in time, scholars believe that
its 30-square grids, arranged in three rows of ten, represent journeys
to the Afterlife. Remnants of Hounds and Jackals, another 2-player
popular Egyptian game, have been found around the Mediterranean
Basin and across Eurasia. Amazingly, ten slender game pieces,
which resemble the rival predators, were unearthed intact in Thebes,
alongside their ivory and ebony game board.
Hounds and Jackals game board, containing During ancient times, nearly everyone enjoyed playing easily
original gaming pieces, ten small sticks with prepared, easily mastered board games. Boards found in lavish,
jackal or dog heads, ebony and ivory, reign of private burial sites, dwellings or palaces, tend to be quite elaborate.
Amenemhat IV circa 1814-1805 B.C. Those found in public spaces, however, were often roughly scratched
photo: Metropolitan Museum of Art, public domain or scrawled on tiles, slabs, field stones, or whatever came to hand.
Evidently, people lingered about marketplaces, flour mills, bath
houses, and wayside resting places to play.
Backgammon a race game originating in Persia, was (and is) a
,
hands-down favorite. To play, two opponents, combining chance
and skill, follow a continuous track of long, narrow triangles while Paint-decorated “Norfolk Fire Department” Parcheesi
striving toward a single goal – being the first to bear off all his game Paneled Game Board, painted in red, orange, yellow, and
pieces from the board. Since backgammon was played predominantly brown, its frame lettered “NORFOLK/FIRE DEPT/No. 3
STATION/FAIRFAX AV,” 23 1/4 x 26 1/2 inches,
by the wealthy in ancient times, their boards were often fashioned probably early 20th century, realized $1,046 in 2019
from fine, heavy wood embellished with ornate engravings. photo: Skinner, Inc. skinnerinc.com
Ludus Duodecim Scriptorum, a 2-player gambling game fea-
turing three rows of 12 inscriptions, was so popular in ancient Rome that its “boards” were carved into pavement stones
in places populated by soldiers. Boards of Nine Men’s Morris, a complex alignment, game featuring three concentric
squares, have also been found carved on buildings across the Roman Empire. Similar, carved configurations, also known
as Marelles, the Old Mill Game, and Ninepenny Marl, have been found on masonry as far afield as Israel, Germany,
Paint-decorated Pine Octagonal Game Greece, Turkey, Croatia, and Russia. Scores are also chiseled on stone floors, window ledges, and cloister seats of
Board Table Top, 20 3/4 x 26 inches medieval-era churches and cathedrals across England. Masons, apparently, loved this game.
realized $492 in 2019 American Colonists initially had little time for leisure. As conditions improved however, many played Nine Men’s
photo: Skinner, Inc. www.skinnerinc.com Morris, Backgammon, chess, or checkers on improvised boards. Well-to-dos played on ornate ones fashioned from
exotic woods or fine leather, Others amused themselves over elegant, prestigious game tables imported from England.
With the emergence of the middle class in the 1820s, families had more leisure time and disposable income. Many
played board games not only for amusement, but also to strengthen home life, foster literacy, and increase knowledge.
The Traveller’s Tour Through the United States game board, serving 2-4 plyers, the first published in America,
depicts the country as it was in 1822, as far west as Louisiana and Missouri. Though paths drawn from city to city guide
players as they wound their way along, these are not labeled. Upon reaching a new location, players were obliged to name
it. In advanced versions, they were also obliged to note its population. Whoever first reached New Orleans (population
10,000) won.
Other early19th century game The Panorama of London, or A Day’s Journey
boards, lithographed in dull, single ‘round the Metropolis, an Amusing and
tones, reinforced Christian morals Instructive Game, engraved and hand-colored,
and values. The Mansion of printed on paper, dissected into 12 panels, and
An
Black-painted and Mother-of-pearl Happiness: and Instructive mounted on linen, containing 50 numbered,
Entertaining
Moral
spiral-arranged views of London with the first
inlaid Walnut Game Board, featuring numbered panel outer-most, and the 50th in the
fantastical coiled serpent with open mouth Amusement (1843) for 2-4 center; missing the publisher’s slipcase,
and painted eye, and two inlaid hearts in players, for example, guided players instructional booklet, teetotum, and game pieces;
opposing corners, 15 1/2 x 22 in., probably along spiral paths interspersed with the imprint trimmed away at the foot, some losses
New England, circa 1900, realized $1,845 images representing vices and and tears. 21 x 20 7/8 in., London: [J. Harris,
in 2018 photo: Skinner, Inc. virtues. Whoever reached the 1809], realized $369 in 2017.
www.skinnerinc.com Mansion safely was assured a photo: Skinner, Inc. skinnerinc.com
Journal of Antiques and Collectibles
22
on skill, strategy or luck while following pre-determined rules, move game pieces, like seeds, animal droppings,
or pebbles, on patterned paths along their surfaces.
Vintage game boards, which are available in wide variety, not only reflect social customs and cares of their day. Since
many existed in multiple versions, or as variants of earlier ones, they also transcend time and place. Moreover, gaming
reflects our common humanity. Then, as now, people were drawn to games like moths to flame.
Senet game boards, which date to pre-dynastic Egypt, were often
carved in stone. Though its rules are lost in time, scholars believe that
its 30-square grids, arranged in three rows of ten, represent journeys
to the Afterlife. Remnants of Hounds and Jackals, another 2-player
popular Egyptian game, have been found around the Mediterranean
Basin and across Eurasia. Amazingly, ten slender game pieces,
which resemble the rival predators, were unearthed intact in Thebes,
alongside their ivory and ebony game board.
Hounds and Jackals game board, containing During ancient times, nearly everyone enjoyed playing easily
original gaming pieces, ten small sticks with prepared, easily mastered board games. Boards found in lavish,
jackal or dog heads, ebony and ivory, reign of private burial sites, dwellings or palaces, tend to be quite elaborate.
Amenemhat IV circa 1814-1805 B.C. Those found in public spaces, however, were often roughly scratched
photo: Metropolitan Museum of Art, public domain or scrawled on tiles, slabs, field stones, or whatever came to hand.
Evidently, people lingered about marketplaces, flour mills, bath
houses, and wayside resting places to play.
Backgammon a race game originating in Persia, was (and is) a
,
hands-down favorite. To play, two opponents, combining chance
and skill, follow a continuous track of long, narrow triangles while Paint-decorated “Norfolk Fire Department” Parcheesi
striving toward a single goal – being the first to bear off all his game Paneled Game Board, painted in red, orange, yellow, and
pieces from the board. Since backgammon was played predominantly brown, its frame lettered “NORFOLK/FIRE DEPT/No. 3
STATION/FAIRFAX AV,” 23 1/4 x 26 1/2 inches,
by the wealthy in ancient times, their boards were often fashioned probably early 20th century, realized $1,046 in 2019
from fine, heavy wood embellished with ornate engravings. photo: Skinner, Inc. skinnerinc.com
Ludus Duodecim Scriptorum, a 2-player gambling game fea-
turing three rows of 12 inscriptions, was so popular in ancient Rome that its “boards” were carved into pavement stones
in places populated by soldiers. Boards of Nine Men’s Morris, a complex alignment, game featuring three concentric
squares, have also been found carved on buildings across the Roman Empire. Similar, carved configurations, also known
as Marelles, the Old Mill Game, and Ninepenny Marl, have been found on masonry as far afield as Israel, Germany,
Paint-decorated Pine Octagonal Game Greece, Turkey, Croatia, and Russia. Scores are also chiseled on stone floors, window ledges, and cloister seats of
Board Table Top, 20 3/4 x 26 inches medieval-era churches and cathedrals across England. Masons, apparently, loved this game.
realized $492 in 2019 American Colonists initially had little time for leisure. As conditions improved however, many played Nine Men’s
photo: Skinner, Inc. www.skinnerinc.com Morris, Backgammon, chess, or checkers on improvised boards. Well-to-dos played on ornate ones fashioned from
exotic woods or fine leather, Others amused themselves over elegant, prestigious game tables imported from England.
With the emergence of the middle class in the 1820s, families had more leisure time and disposable income. Many
played board games not only for amusement, but also to strengthen home life, foster literacy, and increase knowledge.
The Traveller’s Tour Through the United States game board, serving 2-4 plyers, the first published in America,
depicts the country as it was in 1822, as far west as Louisiana and Missouri. Though paths drawn from city to city guide
players as they wound their way along, these are not labeled. Upon reaching a new location, players were obliged to name
it. In advanced versions, they were also obliged to note its population. Whoever first reached New Orleans (population
10,000) won.
Other early19th century game The Panorama of London, or A Day’s Journey
boards, lithographed in dull, single ‘round the Metropolis, an Amusing and
tones, reinforced Christian morals Instructive Game, engraved and hand-colored,
and values. The Mansion of printed on paper, dissected into 12 panels, and
An
Black-painted and Mother-of-pearl Happiness: and Instructive mounted on linen, containing 50 numbered,
Entertaining
Moral
spiral-arranged views of London with the first
inlaid Walnut Game Board, featuring numbered panel outer-most, and the 50th in the
fantastical coiled serpent with open mouth Amusement (1843) for 2-4 center; missing the publisher’s slipcase,
and painted eye, and two inlaid hearts in players, for example, guided players instructional booklet, teetotum, and game pieces;
opposing corners, 15 1/2 x 22 in., probably along spiral paths interspersed with the imprint trimmed away at the foot, some losses
New England, circa 1900, realized $1,845 images representing vices and and tears. 21 x 20 7/8 in., London: [J. Harris,
in 2018 photo: Skinner, Inc. virtues. Whoever reached the 1809], realized $369 in 2017.
www.skinnerinc.com Mansion safely was assured a photo: Skinner, Inc. skinnerinc.com
Journal of Antiques and Collectibles
22
