Paint Decorated Games Board

American folk art trade sign from an apothecary or pharmacy with the word 'DRUGS' in black paint with white shadow lines on an orange ground. Painted on a single pine plank with notc...

Made by George Grant of Nantucket (1857-1942). Grant, the son of whaling captain Charles Grant, was born in 1857 during a whaling voyage. His mother, ...

Stained pine with hinged top, decorated with geometric design out of recycled piano keys. The interior with a removable organizing drawer. Illegible names with numbers are faintly wr...

One drawer with wooden pull with salmon sponge paint decoration on squared tapered legs. Original paint made of walnut and poplar. Berks County, circa 1820. Measures: 30 ½” x 24” ...

Very early American wooden games board; probably the oldest I have handled, this dates to about circa 1835 and exhibits the markings of a typical cottage industry type manufacture (not unlike very early Noah's Arks). Obviously entirely hand crafted; measurements are not exactly square (left to right; top to bottom), probably made of a local soft wood, and hand painted with squares not perfectly delineated. Black light and "loop" inspection reveals age crazing and original paint that, in conjunction with original wear and no attempt to touch up, dates it to the early 19th century. Most definitely American, as the last thing an English immigrant would have brought to America at that time would have been a game. When closed, or in the folding position, the board game simulates and is made to look like two books resting side by side (see images), and thusly, was made to sit on a book shelf, either horizontally or vertically; and to be pulled out to play games when desired, which would have been either the game of checkers (draughts), chess, or backgammon. The board opens up to a two sided game option. On one side is the proverbial 64 square (English/ American version) of chess or checkers; and on the other side is a backgammon board. Both sides are hand painted in gold and black, with a rust colored border around the checkerboard. The interior backgammon play area is also black and gold with the same color rust area to the central part. Nail hinges in the center frame, pivot the two sides to open, while a leather covering borders the edge trim, which is 50% lacking on the hinge side. I state the condition to be good, considering it's age, it's use, and the fact that it is still very "usable" and, if taken care of, will probably continue to be so for nearly another 200 years! The checkers, (12) black pieces and (12) yellow (the correct numbers) are hand carved in wood and hand painted. The backgammon pieces (stored in period wooden box) contain 14 yellow hand painted and carved pieces and (13) black ones. (15) of each color are used to play backgammon (simply use the checkers, which are just about the same size (see images) to make up the difference. Most antique game boards...

Vintage Haitian game board crafted in wood and hand painted with parrots, ballet dancers, and the tree of life in a rustic naive style and signed by the artist J Michel.

Two sided game board with tribal attributes. American, circa 1900. Original paint. L 28-3/4" W 17-3/4".

19th C original painted game board. Nice original Salmon and black paint.