{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O61163"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O61163/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BT4260/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BT4260/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2008BT4260","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O61163","accessionNumber":"W.55-1978","objectType":"Games board","titles":[{"title":"Nine Men's Morris","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Desmond Ryan trained as a furniture designer, but is best known for his small-scale woodwork, including clocks, boxes and vases. He creates precise geometric shapes using a mixture of traditional techniques and modern machine tools. The combination of British and tropical hardwoods in this piece is typical of his work.\r\n\r\nNine Men's Morris is a game for two players, each of whom has nine pieces. The aim is to get three of your pieces in a row; this is called a Mill. The players take turns to lay their pieces on the board. Once all of the pieces are laid, the players take turns to move them by sliding them across the board to an adjacent position. When one player forms a Mill, they can remove one of the other player's pieces. You win when your opponent has only two pieces left, or is unable to move. The game has ancient origins, and was particularly popular in medieval England.","physicalDescription":"A games board and counters in contrasting tones of light and dark wood. The surface design is formed of squares of different sizes punctuated by small circles.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Ryan, Desmond","id":"A5605"},"association":{"text":"designer and maker","id":"x34662"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"walnut","id":"AAT12476"},{"text":"ebony","id":"AAT12055"}],"techniques":[{"text":"marquetry","id":"AAT53853"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Burr walnut and Indian ebony marquetry","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Games","id":"THES48947"},{"text":"Woodwork","id":"THES48877"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"FWK","id":"THES48597"},"images":["2008BT4260"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"CA002","id":"THES388377"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Games board","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Great Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"probably"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1978","earliest":"1978-01-01","latest":"1978-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by the maker","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Width","value":"38","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"38","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"Nine Men's Morris is a game for two players. Eighteen pieces are used, nine black, nine white. One player has the black pieces, the other has the white. The players take turns to lay the pieces on the board. Pieces are laid on the corners and junctions. When all the pieces are laid the players take turns to slide a piece of their colour along a line to an adjacent empty corner or junction. A line of three pieces of the same colour is called a Mill. A player forming a Mill removes one of the other player's pieces. A removed piece is not used again. A player wins when the other player has only two pieces left or is unable to move. \r\nIt was often played in taverns, since it was a game that was fun yet required very little thought.","briefDescription":"Games board, 'Nine Men's Morris', designed and made by Desmond Ryan, walnut and ebony marquetry, 1978 ","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"games","id":"AAT69657"},{"text":"table games","id":"AAT222752"},{"text":"","id":""},{"text":"board games","id":"AAT217912"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Games board and counters:\r\nNine Men's Morris\r\nDesigned and made by Desmond Ryan\r\n(British, born 1941), 1978\r\nBurr walnut and Indian ebony parquetry\r\nW.55-1978\r\n\r\nThis game first appeared in Europe in the Bronze Age reaching the height of its popularity in the 14th century.  The eighteen turned counters are here stored i two drawers on opposite sides.  The use of burr walnut and ebony recalls fashions in 18th-century cabinet-making and imbues this example with an air of antiquity.","date":{"text":"1997","earliest":"1997-01-01","latest":"1997-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["W.55-1978"],"accessionNumberNum":"55","accessionNumberPrefix":"W","accessionYear":1978,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2023-12-20","recordCreationDate":"2001-07-18","availableToBook":false}}