λ A LARGE MOTHER-OF-PEARL AND COLOURED WOOD-INLAID PORTABLE GAMING BOARD
Possibly Cairo, Egypt, 20th century

Of rectangular shape, the multi-purpose portable board foldable in half and including three main boards to play chess, backgammon (nard) and cards, the interior and exterior a tour-de-force of mother-of-pearl and coloured wood marquetry work featuring standard Egyptian decorative motifs such as octagonal cartouches filled with stars, geometric fretwork bands, two-tone linear registers, crosses in squares, and diamond-shaped cartouches with further geometric designs, the card board lined in purple-red velvet, the chess and backgammon boards clad in marquetry work, 72.5cm x 72cm when open, 72cm x 36cm when closed.

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