A collection of antique 19th century hand carved bone dice

A charming collection of antique hand carved bovine bone gambling dice.

Dating to the mid to late 19th century, each of the dice vary in size with the largest approximately 1.2cm square.

Each of the six sided die have been carved by hand from bone, with small impressions to each side which have been highlighted with black ink or pigment to form the number dots.

Genrally antique bone dice are the product of sailors or prisoners of war. Sailors whilst at sea would often carve and whittle bone and wood to pass the time. Similarly prisoners of war would harvest bones from their food, and then carve various items. Dice were one of the more common pieces along with dominoes allowing the men a way to gamble and pass time.

Unfortunately we cannot ascertain the history of these particular dice, although they certainly are of the period that was synonymous with both prisoners and sailors making them.

Each dice has its own individual wear and patina, some with small historic losses, which are mostly down to the structure of the bone, more so than from external damage.