Circa 1890-1910: With outstanding original paint decoration and powerfully graphic patriotic composition, this 16" x 15.75" seven color folk art Parcheesi gameboard with dancing stars designed on a single 7/8" thick slab of white pine leaves nothing to be desired. Its design is simple yet colorful and folksy, and it has that handmade naive touch that tells us it was created in the home and not by a professional sign or carriage painter. Note that the black lines are not perfectly straight and vary slightly in thickness, helping to add movement to the dancing stars, which were traced from a homemade stencil and playfully postioned in the corner blocks and home square. The board has a very minor shrinkage warp that proves its age, and its surface is absolutely untouched. Furthermore, this incredible piece of patriotic americana has impeccable provenance, having, over the years, passed through the hands of both David Wheatcroft and Don Olson.