Folding Games Board
ca. 1855 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This games board is a typical product of Vizagapatam, a port on the east coast of India famous for its luxury furniture worked with exotic woods and ivory. Under British patronage workshops at Vizagapatam produced a range of portable objects that were consumed both by Britons in India and at home. The outside of this is box is marked for chess, with squares of ivory contrasting with squares of sandalwood. On the inside the same materials mark the alternating triangles and borders used in backgammon. One end of the box is configured to resemble the leather binding of a book.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Sandalwood, partly veneered with ivory, engraved and highlighted with lac, with silvered brass lock and hinges |
| Brief description | Sandalwood game board, Vishakhapatnam, ca.1855. |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label | Games night or book club?
This chess and backgammon board stashes away to look like a couple of books – perfect for a sneaky game. It was made in a city famous for its beautiful furniture.
[Young V&A, Imagine Gallery short object label] (2023) |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | This games board is a typical product of Vizagapatam, a port on the east coast of India famous for its luxury furniture worked with exotic woods and ivory. Under British patronage workshops at Vizagapatam produced a range of portable objects that were consumed both by Britons in India and at home. The outside of this is box is marked for chess, with squares of ivory contrasting with squares of sandalwood. On the inside the same materials mark the alternating triangles and borders used in backgammon. One end of the box is configured to resemble the leather binding of a book. |
| Bibliographic reference | Jaffer, Amin Furniture from British India and Ceylon: A Catalogue of the Collections in the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Peabody Essex Museum. London : V&A Publications, 2001. 416 p., ill. ISBN 1851773185, p.212, pl.57.. |
| Other number | 4,293 - India Museum Slip Book |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 9784(IS) |
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| Record created | December 4, 2002 |
| Record URL |
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