About Antique Backgammon Sets

History

• Backgammon is one of the oldest games, dating back to ancient Mesopotamia. It was considered a royal game, played by the aristocrats. It first appeared in England in 1025 and was a popular activity at the local pub. The first edition of the official rules were published by Edmond Hoyle in 1743. However, the rules have changed some since then. For instance, the doubling cube only came into play in the 1920's.

Features

• You can pretty much tell what period the antique backgammon set you are interested in comes from by the materials it is constructed from. For instance, back in the mid 1800's the best English backgammon sets were made of leather and the pieces were made of bone. Wood inlays were also very popular during that era as well.

  Chinese backgammon sets from the 19th century served as furniture. Tables with a center post and three legs made to look like lion heads for feet, Chinese backgammon sets were made of black lacquer. It was customary to have Chinese paintings around the sides. Generally, there was a chessboard on the outside and a backgammon set on the inside.

Identification

• Antique backgammon sets are made of solid wood and feel very heavy. Since backgammon was played by those with money to spare, they were very ornate with expensive decorations.

Potential

• Antique backgammon sets are sought after by museums. The Metropolitan Museum of art in New York City has one of the largest collections of antique backgammon pieces including a 12th century game piece from Germany and an 18th century mechanical game table also from Germany. Antique backgammon sets were made to be pieces of furniture, something to be put on display, not something to be put away when not being used and that is how they should be treated today.

Warning

• Deal with antique dealers who specialize in antique games. They are not as easy to identify as say an antique furniture dealer. It takes a specialist to be able to zero in on just how authentic an antique backgammon set really is. There are always those who like to make a quick buck selling reproductions for the real thing. One good source of information are the auction houses. They have experts in all fields of antiques and sell a large amount of antique backgammon sets. Be sure to get a certificate of authenticity. Have your purchase appraised by another dealer if possible.