Anglo Indian Horn Table

Late 19th Century 1870-1901
(PRE-1947)"pre-Convention" or "antique" exemptions, making them legal to trade without modern CITES paperwork.
 
A Charming Raj period, country house, colonial, Anglo Indian horn, games or tea table with brass fittings ( ends tops and turning keys) and delicately carved ebony tabletop, with the central chess board of 64 squares of alternating mandala design with a whimsical border of mandala flowers and leaves.

A beautiful and unusual piece, with its distinctive spiralled horned crossover base,
There are strategically placed pin holes around the periphery of the chest board which typically served two main purposes:
 
1. Turn Indicators or "Who's White" Markers
In Victorian social settings, chess games could last for hours or even days. A single small peg was placed in these holes to:
 
Mark the turn: Indicate which player was currently "on move" if they stepped away.
Identify Player Sides: Mark which side of the board was playing as "White," especially important on round tables where players might shift seat.
 
2. Built-in Scoring (Cribbage or Series Tracking)
Many late 19th-century game tables were "multi-game" hubs. The holes around the board often allowed the table to double as a Cribbage board—a popular game of the era that uses a peg-and-hole system for scoring. Even for pure chess players, these holes were used to track the number of games won in a "best-of" series.
 
3. Peg-In Chess Pieces (Travel/Stability)
While less common for a stationary table, some sets were sold with "peg-in" pieces (where the bottom of each piece has a small protrusion). The holes at the edge of the board provided a secure place to "bank" captured pieces so they wouldn't roll off the table's decorative, often uneven, surface.
 
Condition  Desirable aged patina with minor structural settling. Totally original and structurally sound.
 
 
Zoomorphic taxidermy Victorian Furniture such as this were crafted as "Colonial" or "Folk Art" pieces, sometimes retailed by famous taxidermy firms like Rowland Ward. (this piece is not stamped).
 
H:52cm W:51cm D:51cm Tops: 31cm