Beschreibung:

A German tortoiseshell, ebony and ivory veneered and white metal strung games box, 17th century, the hinged cover inset with a chequer board, within a border with lozenge and heart reserves; the front, back and sides with conforming reserves and stringing, raised on four gilt bronze spherical feet; the cover interior inlaid as half of the backgammon board, the other conforming half serving as a lift off cover to the box interior, above a compartmented interior, 16.5cm high, 38.5cm wide, 38.5cm deep With an associated German stained softwood Silenus pattern chess set, 19th century, the kings 10cm high, the pawns 5cm high Provenance: Private Collection, Wiltshire The particular form and configuration of this games box is fairly typical of south German work of the 17th and early 18th century. Aspects of the decoration too, particularly the oval reserves within the borders are a distinct element of these luxury items; compare an engraved horn, fruitwood inlaid and ebony example of the late 16th century, Sotheby's London, Haute Epoque-early Furniture Works of Art and Tapestries, 31st October 2007, lot 155; also an extremely fine amber example attributed to Georg Schreiber -Sotheby's London, European Sculpture and Works of Art: Medieval to Modern, 5th December 2012, lot 80; and a 19th century ebony and ivory example also sold at Sotheby's London, European Sculpture & Works of Art, 8th July 2005, lot 51 One thing that all of these examples have in common is their makers' utilisation of very high value materials in the construction, and it is the inclusion of substances like amber, silver, ivory, tortoiseshell, horn and ebony which set these games boxes aside as luxury objects, intended for important, cultured and wealthy customers. Please note, this lot may be subject to CITES regulations if exported from the EU. The CITES regulations may be found at www.defra.gov.uk/ahvla-en/imports-exports/cites/ . Condition report disclaimer