A BOHEMIAN RELIEF CARVED WALNUT AND FRUITWOOD INLAID FOLDING GAMES BOARD

This style of workmanship is attributed to the town of Eger, located in Bohemia, now in the present day Czech Republic, which uniquely specialised in this type of intarsia and low relief veneering from the end of the 16th century to the beginning of the 18th century. Complete folding games boards from Eger are relatively rare to find. Many fine examples attributed to the major family workshops, such as Adam Eck (1604-1664) and Johann Georg Fischer (1587-1669), are now in museums. This board is most similar to the work of Johann Karl Haberstumpf, whose work also features the dolphin inlay and scenes carved in relief probably copying popular Old Master prints. Little is known of Haberstumpf, but he is recorded in 1682 with his own workshop in Eger and with ties to the city council who bought Kabinettschränke (cabinets) and Brettspiele (gamesboards). For further comparable examples see Jochen Voight, Für die Kunstkammern Europas, Reliefintarsien aus Eger, Halle an der Saale, 1999, p. 80-96, 204-236.