Summary

Crown and Anchor dice game. Consists of three dice, a leather kip (cup) and a patterned game mat. The game was purchased by Mr W.H. Ryan in Colombo in 1915 while escorting Australian troopships. It was used by him on H.M.A.S. Brisbane, H.M.A.S. Melbourne & H.M.A.S. Australia during World War I. He kept the game after the war, and donated it to Museum Victoria in 1977.

The Crown & Anchor dice game is a gambling game once popular on British naval ships. It originated in the 18th century.

Physical Description

Game consisting of three dice, one leather kip and one patterned cloth. The three ivory dice have symbols of a crown, anchor, diamond, heart, club and spade on the six faces. Each dice is a cube with side 13mm in length. The kip is cylindrical and made from stiff leather, decorated, with the seams at the side and base hand-sewn. It is 450mm. in diameter and 750mm long. The game mat is a white rectangular cloth, divided into six squares by blue lines, each square containing one of the symbols appearing on the dice.

More Information