QING DYNASTY, 18TH/19TH CENTURY

'Double sixes', or Shuang Lu, is a game related to modern backgammon and can be traced back to the Northern and Southern Dynasties through to the early nineteenth century. Popular among various classes of society, the 'double sixes' board was an integral part of games tables from the Ming period onward. An example with a carved exterior and brass fittings is illustrated in Asian Games: The Art of Contest, Asia Society, New York, 2004, p. 98, no. 8:4. For further discussion on the game of 'double sixes', see ibid., pp. 100-2. A huanghuali tray of very similar design with raised feet was sold at Christie's New York, 20 September 2005, lot 93.