Description
Antique Backgammon and Draughts
This offering is a vintage set of 30 large Antique Backgammon and Draughts, Cochineal-stained and natural Ivory. The individual checkers measure 1-1/4″ in diameter by 3/8″ thick. These Antique English-made Backgammon and Draught checkers date to around 1890. The antique folding chessboard shown is not included, but this and several other suitable boards are available elsewhere on this web site or upon request. These checkers are in excellent excellent condition with minor wear consistent with age and use. There are no repairs or replacements. The checkers are housed in their original wooden slide-top box. These Checkers should be used on a board with 2-0″ squares and a Backgammon Board with points measuring at least 6-1/2″ long and a single bay width of not less than 7-3/4″ wide. The set does not include dice, shakers or a doubling cube. These Backgammon Checkers and Draughts can also be used for several other board games.
Cochineal Dye. To create the red dye, Carminic acid is extracted from the female cochineal insects and is treated to produce carmine, which can yield shades of red such as crimson and scarlet. The body of the insect is 19–22% carminic acid. The insects are processed by immersion in hot water or exposure to sunlight, steam, or the heat of an oven. Each method produces a different color that results in the varied appearance of commercial cochineal. It takes about 80,000 to 100,000 insects to make one kilogram of cochineal dye.
Note: Several States have either enacted or have pending legislation restricting the sale or purchase of antique Ivory artifacts. Please check with your State Government before placing an order for any antique ivory from this website. International Trade in all forms of Elephant Ivory is strictly regulated.
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/
