Indian Bone Playing Card

Seated figure on a tall pedestal gets flanked by two attendants in long robes.

This painted bone playing card is from India, and dates to the early 20th century. It is pigment & bone. Games with cards or tokens were played at courts and in homes across South Asia, and the pieces were sometimes made in costly materials for royal use. Small rounded-corner plate in muted browns and faded gilt. A central figure sits raised on a waisted stand with a hand lifted, while a standing attendant waits on each side. The finish is dark, scuffed and a little dry. It is 1.5 inches wide and 2 high.

Quiet court, well attended, slightly dusty.