10
Lot 175:
Description
A traditional South Asian board game known as Bagh-Chal or Moving Tigers, likely of Nepalese or North Indian origin. The set is housed in a handcrafted hammered copper box which doubles as the playing board. The top surface of the box is tinned or silver-plated and features an engraved 5×5 grid characteristic of the game, decorated with floral and solar motifs at the intersections and corners. The set includes a collection of cast metal figurines, including four standing tigers and multiple recumbent goats. The box is constructed with a hinged lid, a simple brass latch, and a protruding wooden peg on the side which likely serves as a locking mechanism or relates to an internal drawer.
Width: 16.5 cm
Depth: 10 cm
Height: 5 cm.
Condition report:
The set is in a well-used condition with significant tarnish and oxidation across the metal surfaces. There is noticeable wear to the plating on the game board, revealing the copper base metal beneath. The playing surface shows dark staining and localised pitting. The hinges remain functional though they show age-related wear. The wooden peg appears to be a later addition or replacement. The set is incomplete as it typically requires twenty goats; one figurine exhibits a casting flaw or damage to a limb.
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