Cribbage Board, mid-19th century, 15.2013
In the card game of cribbage, invented by an English poet in the seventeenth century, small cylindrical pegs are moved successively through the holes in a cribbage board to keep score. This board would have been bought by American or European traders in Canton, now known as Guangzhou. The only port city open in China starting in the mid-eighteenth century, Canton became a magnet for traders hoping to make money off the western craze for “exotic” wares, and for Chinese craftsmen producing the merchandise to fill that need. In addition to filling their ships with bulk purchases, traders also took custom orders from family, friends, and investors. Its decorative elements, intricately carved human figures amid pagodas and willow trees, are typical of export carving, contributing to Western perceptions about traditional Chinese culture.
Made for export in Guangzhou (Canton), China
Cribbage Board, mid-19th century
ivory
15.2013
Cribbage Board, mid-19th century, 15.2013
Cribbage Board, mid-19th century, 15.2013