Lot #181. Antique Ivory Burmese Lobed Backgammon

Antique Ivory Burmese Lobed Backgammon

This offering is a complete set of 30 Antique Ivory Burmese Lobed Backgammon and Draughts counters, natural and red-stained ivory. The individual eight-lobed checkers measure 1-5/16″ in diameter by 5/16″ thick. The set includes two small ivory or bone dice and an elaborately carved dice shaker. These Backgammon stones date to around 1820. Several suitable antique Backgammon boards are available elsewhere on this web site. The Burmese chessmen shown are not included.

The Draughtsmen and shaker are in excellent condition with no repairs or replacements. The red stain is still strong and vibrant.  These sets were made for the European Market and probably sold in Macao which was the only place in China where Europeans were allowed to visit prior to the Opium Wars of the 1840s.

Backgammon is one of the oldest board games known. It is a two player game where the units are moved according to the roll of dice. A player wins by removing (bearing-off) all of his pieces from the board before the opponent. Backgammon is a member of the “Tables” family, one of the World’s oldest classes of board games.

Draughts or checkers is a group of strategy board games for two players which involve diagonal moves of uniform game pieces and mandatory captures by jumping over opponent pieces. Draughts developed from alquerque. The name derives from the verb to draw or to move.

The most popular forms are English Draughts, also called American Checkers, employs 12 stones and is played on an 8×8 checkerboard; Russian Draughts, also played on an 8×8. Continental Draughts (Also known as Polish Checkers) utilizes 20 stones and is played on a 10×10 board. There are many other variants played on an 8×8 board. Canadian checkers is played on a 12×12 board.

For a more detailed discourse on the history and rules for Draughts or Checkers, check out:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Draughts and http://www.usacheckers.com/