Antique games set presented in a folding book/box which is leather bound with a chess board on the external faces and a backgammon board inside. The case appears as two leather bound volumes there is external wear to the box, in particular to edges, corners and sides, but also to some of the chess squares, internally the box has little wear. The set dates from the late 19th or early 20th century.
The set includes various original draughts counters, 8 large white (3.7cm/1.5"), 12 small white (2.9cm/1.25"), 8 large black (3.7cm/1.5"), 10 small ebony (2.9cm/1.25"),
This set would have originated in a well to do household with a library, probably a country house, part of the appeal would have been the idea of storing the set with other leather bound volumes. The King stands 9cm (3.54")high and the box when open measures 44.5 x 37.5cm (17.52" x 14.76") and the chess board squares are each 4cm (1.5").
There is a story that games were considered to be an unsuitable pastime by the church, particularly on a Sunday and so the idea of keeping games disguised as books achieved another purpose besides the purely decorative, easily accessible, hidden from sight and quickly and easily put out of view of the visiting clergy.
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£175.00Price
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