Antique French Walnut Backgammon Writing Tric-Trac Table, circa 1860

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About the Item

This is a lovely antique French burr walnut and ebonised tric-trac table, circa 1860 in date. The card table stands on elegant slender cabriole legs, is further decorated with gilded ormolu mounts and it has two useful drawers for storing chess pieces, pens, paper,etc. The removable top is inset with a gold tooled leather inset writing surface for use as a desk, it can be turned over so as the inset green baize on the other side can be used to play cards and removed so that the inlaid backgammon board can be used. Complete with working locks and key. It is an absolute masterpiece which is sure to get a lot attention wherever it is placed. Condition: In excellent condition having been beautifully restored in our workshops, please see photos for confirmation. Dimensions in cm: Height 70 x Width 125 x Depth 70 - Closed Dimensions in inches: Hei ght 2 feet, 4 inches x Width 4 feet, 1 inch x Depth 2 feet, 4 inches - Closed Tric-trac Many modern backgammon books refer to Tric-trac simply as the French name for backgammon, however real Tric-trac is quite a different game. Gaming was and still is a favourite pastime in France. Tric-trac was invented in France in the 16th Century. The equipment is much the same as in backgammon. Players have fifteen checkers each which they move around the board according to rolls of the dice. However, unlike backgammon, racing plays only a small role in Trictrac The word “tric-trac” is said to mimic the clicking of dice.) Originally, the game was played on a portable board, but starting in the early 18th century, the French created multipurpose writing and card tables that, when their tops were removed, revealed tric-trac, chess and checkers surfaces beneath. Mahogany is probably one of the largest ‘families’ of hardwood, having many different varieties within its own species. Mahogany has been used for centuries in ship building, house building, furniture making etc and is the core structure of just about every 19th century vanity box, dressing case or jewellery box. It became more of a Victorian trend to dress Mahogany with these decorative veneers, such as Rosewood, Kingwood, Burr Walnut and Coromandel, so that the actual Mahogany was almost hidden from view. Mahogany itself is a rich reddish brown wood that can range from being plain in appearance to something that is so vibrant, figured and almost three dimensional in effect. Although Mahogany was most often used in its solid form, it also provided some beautifully figured varieties of veneer like ‘Flame’ Mahogany and ‘Fiddleback’ Mahogany (named after its preferred use in the manufacture of fine musical instruments). Cuban Mahogany was so sought after, that by the late 1850's, this particular variety became all but extinct. Ormolu (from French 'or moulu', signifying ground or pounded gold) is an 18th-century English term for applying finely ground, high-carat gold in a mercury amalgam to an object of bronze.The mercury is driven off in a kiln leaving behind a gold-coloured veneer known as 'gilt bronze'. The manufacture of true ormolu employs a process known as mercury-gilding or fire-gilding, in which a solution of nitrate of mercury is applied to a piece of copper, brass, or bronze, followed by the application of an amalgam of gold and mercury. The item was then exposed to extreme heat until the mercury burned off and the gold remained, adhered to the metal object. No true ormolu was produced in France after around 1830 because legislation had outlawed the use of mercury. Therefore, other techniques were used instead but nothing surpasses the original mercury-firing ormolu method for sheer beauty and richness of colour. Electroplating is the most common modern technique. Ormolu techniques are essentially the same as those used on silver, to produce silver-gilt (also known as vermeil). Our reference: 06887

Dimensions:
Height: 27.56 in (70 cm)Width: 49.22 in (125 cm)Depth: 27.56 in (70 cm)
Place of Origin:
France
Period:
Mid-19th Century
Date of Manufacture:
circa 1860
Condition:
Seller Location:
London, GB
Reference Number:
Seller: 068871stDibs: LU95063917932

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