Antique Japanese Shogi Board / Display Plateau, c. 1880

This antique Japanese shogi board dates from the mid-Meiji period, around c. 1880. It is made as a heavy, thick wooden plank with a sober rectangular form and a warm dark-brown patina.

Dimensions: height 5 cm, width 34 cm, depth 27.5 cm.

The playing field remains clearly visible through fine incised lines, while the surface is richly marked by age, use and wear. Scratches, colour variations and soft polished areas give the wood an exceptional lived-in character — the kind of natural ageing that cannot be reproduced.

Originally used for shogi, the traditional Japanese board game, this piece now works beautifully as a decorative base or styling object. Ideal as a display surface for ceramics, small objects, ikebana or books, yet strong enough to stand on its own as a sculptural wooden object.

In good antique condition, with clear signs of use and natural ageing consistent with its age and function.

A strong, understated piece with history and quiet presence.