I'm not in the least an expert on old game boards, but I have looked closely at enough to become pretty particular about what I like, and this is very much one of those! Bright colors can be satisfying, but for me these hand-painted numbers on the dark gray squares are even more so, making the hand of the maker very palpable, with graphite drawn stars and X's and heart on a few of the blank squares making it all the more so. I believe this would be a draughts board, which was played with up to 144 squares. There is a '98 (or perhaps '86"!) carved into the well at one end, perhaps the year of its making in the late 19th century, which would seem right to me. On the reverse side, another game board, I believe for Nine Mens Morris (also called Merels or Mill), or some variation on it.
29 3/4" x 19 1/4" x 1 7/8", made of pine I believe and in very good, very sound and sturdy condition. Wired on the back for hanging.
