ANTIQUE GERMAN BLACK FOREST CARVED Playing Card Press GAMBLING ACCESSORY ca1900

Description

Incredible German Black Forest carved wooden playing card press, highly detailed in its carving.   The center of the large piece is the press housed in a structure covered with a beautifully carved roof.   The planks of the roof look as though they are nailed on.   However, the “nail heads” are actually carved wood as well.  There is incredible detail on the roof alone.  To the left and right of the center card press are beautiful “bee skep” baskets, carved of wood as well.   The detail of the carving on these baskets is amazing.   The tops of each lift off to reveal white porcelain inserts (which are glued in) and which, I’m guessing, were meant to hold playing chips or dice.   Everything is surrounded by a beautifully carved latticework fence which then sits on the base which also has carved detail.  Base measures 9 3/4 inches long and 6 1/4 inches deep; 8 1/2 inches tall.  It’s just an amazing early piece which I found several years ago in Germany.   I’m conservatively estimating the age at 1900, but it could very well be earlier.   Most likely one-of-a-kind.