WW1 Gun Stock Cribbage Board - 1940-53

£495.00

A truly unique, heavy cribbage board made from the wooden stock of a World War 1 rifle (potentially a Lee Enfield).

The three feet on which it stands are .303 bullets from the same period. There is a brass badge inscribed 'Intelligence Corps' to the front inside the brass strips for the peg holes.

We managed to gain a bit of insight on this item from the archivists at the Military Intelligence Museum in Chicksands:

"The object is not an official piece, probably being hand made by or for a veteran who enjoyed the game. Very much in the style of trench art from WW1, mixing decoration with commemoration and, in this case, a clear purpose, entertainment.  

This item however, dates from after the formation of the Intelligence Corps in July 1940, the date on which this cap badge was first adopted. It's making cannot pre-date that, even if the rifle stock itself is earlier. It also cannot post date 1953, the coronation of Queen Elizabeth, as the Crown is the Tudor Crown which changed to the Edward Crown on her accension to the throne in that year." 

 

Dimensions 30cm length x 12cm width x 6cm depth 

The item includes homemade metal pegs. But as these feel a little out of place we will included a set of our own 9 metal cribbage pegs. 

 

A beautiful piece, in extremely good condition. Grade 1 under the Hoyle's Vintage Grading System.