A DOUBLE-SIDED LACQUERED AND GILT CHESS AND BACKGAMMON BOARD
Kashmir, Northern India, second half 19th century

Of rectangular shape, once folding in two equal halves, currently pinned, glued and mounted to stay flat, both sides polychrome-painted, gilt and lacquered, the decoration of the nard (backgammon) board consisting of a full floral bloom, with cusped cartouches and roundels painted in red, blue and green and filled with lush gold flowering sprays, several concentric bands with vegetal sprays on dark blue, red and green grounds, on the board and edges several cusped cartouches with Persian inscriptions of sonnets and praises to the Imam 'Ali in blue ink against a gold ground, the chessboard framed within two horizontal bands of butis, rosettes, cusped floral cartouches, all against a ground of interlocking golden foliage sprays, the squares of the board filled with similar floral designs, 56.5cm x 43cm.

Provenance: Christie's South Kensington (London), 8 April 2011, lot 370.

A very similar Kashmiri gaming board successfully sold in these Rooms, 29 October 2020, lot 306.