Promoting Go in the UK and beyond
Go Artifacts in Britain
This page lists Go artifacts in Britain, for example exhibits in museums and stately homes. It includes paintings, furniture, porcelain and of course Go equipment.
If you discover something not listed then let us know and include any photographs or web links.
Note that musuems usually have large collections that are not permanently on display and items are often rotated, so there is no guarantee to see anything listed below.
A list of Japanese collections in British museums is held at the Japanese Embassy site.
British Museum, London
On level 2 of the British Museum, in the Korea room, is an exhibit captioned “wooden paduk board and pieces made of shell and stone”, which is an interesting Korean board, specifically, an 18th–19th Century Sunjang Baduk board, hollow with tensioning wires underneath to make it resonate when played on. There are bowls and slate and shell stones of similar age. Photo.
Sensei’s Library has an article about Sunjang Baduk:, as does MSO World.
In the Chinese room is a Cizhou-type Ming vase from the 15th Century. It is about 30 cm high and is decorated black under a turquoise glaze with the imortals at pursuits such as music (on back) and Go (two men play as a third watches). Photo.
Other objects are in the games collection, part of which toured the UK in 2005-2007 as the Across the Board exhibition.
In the British Library collection from Dunhuang in China is a 9th century Go manual.
Victoria and Albert Museum, London
In the Japanese Gallery, there is an inro with cover from about 1700. Described as showing Chinese sages in scholarly pursuits, the lower front panel of two shows four men around a Go board. Photo.
Also in the Japanese Gallery is a tiered food box made in porcelain with red overgazed enamel from Kyoto about 1800. It is decorated with figures and inside one has the Worthies at a Go ban. Photo.
Another object connected to Go is the painted ribbed and cut velvet picture of the famous gateway Yomei-mon at Nikko, c1900. One of the carved panels on this gate is of a Go game, but there is not enough detail in the picture to see this. Photo.
The museum owns a Japanese woodblock print of an interior with goban, called “Mandayu of the Nakaomiya House”.
In the Chinese Gallery in the Living section are 18th Century Go “boxes” (wooden Go bowls) and a thin modern board and stones, described as being “Encirclement Chess (weiqi)”. Photo.
Museum of Childhood, Bethnal Green, London
Following museum refurbishment in 2006, their Go set (a thin folding board and shiny plastic stones) is now in a case of games in the top gallery. It is labelled: "Go 1977 - Probably the oldest board game in the world. It requires a very high level of skill". Unfortunately the stones were just in piles when viewed in early 2007. Previously the Go set and its cardboard box were in different cases in different galleries. They claimed the set was made by the Just Games Trading Co, but it is thought they just imported it. Photo.
Also in the same case is a picture of a glazed tile, blue on white, made in 1881 by Maw and Co of Salop, and formerly on display in their loans collection. It shows two toddlers playing “Go-bang” (Five-in-a-row), but they could just as easily be playing Go. Their mother leans over encouragingly. Photo.
Ashmolean Museum, Oxford
*** Note the East Asian Art galleries are closed until further notice for rebuilding. ***
Has objects in the East Asian Art collection (not currently on display).
Coramandel Screen, just inside the entrance to the Arts of Asia Gallery: a huge 12-panel 10 foot high wooden screen from Chinese Kangxi Period (1662–1722). It is gilded and coloured (painted and incised lacquer) with many scenes of dancing, soldiers, trees and buildings. In one building three old men are gathered round a Go board. The one in red points smugly at the board. Photo.
Opposite the screen is a black laquered display case with decorated panels at the base. One is a Go scene with two Chinese men playing Go by some rocks and trees. A third man watches as the man in orange leans over to play the first move.
A Chinese plant holder in censer form with underglaze blue decoration, dated 1755 (Qianlong style). Shows a board on a fancy table with five large black stones placed as a handicap.
Porcelain Stand: Chinese Kangxi Period, famille verte colours on the biscuit. Shows the Seven Worthies of the Bamboo Grove at music, calligraphy and Go. Two men play whilst a third watches. Photo.
Large Dish: famille verte over glaze decoration. Shows ten ladies at pleasure: music, children and Go. The game is watched, seen through an open window. Photo.
Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford
Has several cases of ancient games (dice, cards, Warri, and so on) on the south side of the Lower Gallery, which also houses a collection of some thousand netsuke (Japanese belt toggles).
In case L90A a pair of black lacquer Go bowls with saucer-shaped lids, added to the collection in 1910. The white and black stones are displayed and they are thin clam shell and slate and each has their catalogue number painted on. Photos.
In case L89A, hand painted Hasami Shogi pieces collected in 1865. The game is described as Chess where you surround the enemy like simplified Go. There is also a set of normal Shogi pieces in case L90A.
In case L95B, a netsuke of two men in a cave with a Go ban. Photo
Sometimes in case L95C (but not on display May 2007), a netsuke of a monkey working a puppet on top of a Go ban. Photo
Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge
In Room 26, item JL.9 is a moulded white porcelain ink stand of a boy sitting on a Go board, Japanese c1680. About 8 cm wide and 15 cm tall, a young boy in red leotard sits on a Go ban with feet together and knees akimbo. The board has flowers on the sides in enamel paint and blue grid lines (11x11) and typical Go ban feet.
Also in room 2, item O.1938 is the left hand of a pair of painted glass mirrors, 60 cm by 90 cm, in gilt frames. It shows a couple seated at a table in open buildings by some water. They wear long coloured robes and hats in the Chinese style. The man rattles his stones in a brown bowl, while the lady holds a white stone correctly in her fingers. The grey board is depicted long and thin however. The mirror is mid-18th century.
In room 28, item C10-1978 may show a representation of a Go board. A Ming double walled hot water bottle of c1500 shows on its inside surface five figures, two of whom are by a grid with blobs on. The perspective is wrong though and it could represent some sort of net in a frame. The bottle is 10cm in diameter and porcelain with blue painted underglaze.
In the Sasakawa Fan Galley, a Chinese Brisé fan (hu shan) from about 1820-1840 has lacquered wood sticks. Part of the scene on one side shows two women seated on a bench and red chair playing Go on a red table. One holds out her hand to play a stone.
Maidstone Museum & Bentlif Art Gallery, Kent
Displays the Walter Samuel Collection of Japanese art and also Julius Brenchley's Cabinet of Curiosities both of which feature Go-related items.
In the Japanese Gallery (room 10) in the People, Ledgends and Gods case, item 18 is an 8cm tall 19th century ivory figurine of a man, Oguri Hangan, riding the tamed man-eating horse “onikage” balanced on a goban, by Hakuunsai.
Item 11 is a large, 20 cm tall, oval pot (maybe a brush holder) of elephant ivory on a decorated wood base from 1860s. It shows a samurai fighting assailants, hitting one with a goban held over his head, the coloured Go stones spilling everywhere and the bowls kicked over.
Item 30 is an unglazed ceramic enameled tea-pot, 8cm big with side handle and spout, by Kentei c1800. A large group of kids practise calligraphy and play Go; one is pointing at a move on the board.
In the case of inro and netsuke, number 9 is a 3 cm white donut-shaped netsuke with stopper showing with four people and a goban on thin legs.
In the Cabinet of Curiosities in room 25, Chinese porcelain famille verte plate from 1720 showing ladies taking tea on a verandah about to play a game.
In their travelling exhibition of Japanese woodblock prints, an 18th century print by Isoda Koryusai of two women playing Sugeroku (Backgammon), with a third leaning on a Shogi and Go ban (can be purchased via their web site, accession number 424).
Photos.Cheltenham Museum
Has a 12-panel Coramandel screen from China, Kangxi Period (1662–1722). It shows a wedding scene and includes a roundel showing three people gathered around a Go board. It hangs on the end wall of the oriental gallery. Photos.
Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery
Has an Chinese 18th Century brush holder, 15cm diameter with blue underglaze. A man and woman sit playing at a large table. They have bowls and stones are scattered both around the board and on. Two men stand watching from the side and a fifth person stands nearby. It is item N185 in case Oa in the oriental gallery on the top floor. Photos.
Royal Cornwall Museum, Truro
www.royalcornwallmuseum.org.uk
Has an indented-oval gilded box (size 15×10 cm) with lid and inside tray, probably by Hayashi of Tokyo. On its inside tray a monk and a lady are seated playing Go. With one arm the monk clutches his bowl and with the other he stretches out to play a white stone. Another couple stand watching either side. Their costumes are delicately coloured. It is in a case on the balcony. Photo.
Museum of East Asian Art, Bath
www.bath.co.uk/museumeastasianart
Has a small Doucai jar and cover from China, Kangxi Period (1662–1722). It shows two men playing Go on a large tree stump. Photo.
Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum, Bournemouth
www.russell-cotes.bournemouth.gov.uk
Has a large collection of Japanese artifacts, but it is a Chinese porcelain ink stand that features Go. It is white with blue decoration and about 8 cm in diameter. It shows a Go ban with curly feet and a pair of bowls sitting on it. It is in a small three-shelf cupboard in the Study. Also in the Japanese beaten metal display, item 1 is a 19th century smoking cabinet in silver, gold and lacquer. On the left end it has a Goban in a garden with decorated sides and ornate bowls - one is on the ban and the black one is open on the ground to right beneath a golden fan.
Lady Lever Art Gallery, Port Sunlight, Merseyside
www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/ladylever
In Room 8, there is a pair of Chinese porcelain vases decorated with women performing the four elegant accomplishments: painting, literature, music and checkers - which is of course actually Go. It is from the K'ang-Hsi period (1662–1722), just under 18 inches high and famille verte enamels. Photos of the vases, one of which shows on the side two ladies sitting at a green table with a board, bowls and black stones, including captives, visible.
Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, London
This large collection of Chinese porcelain was part of SOAS was on display in London, but it closed at the end of 2007 and its collection is being transfered to the British Museum. In the collection there is a Ming jar dated 1543 featuring Go players. The jar is 13.5 cm in diameter with blue underglaze decoration. Two players crouch at a board, one holding his bowl and the other playing a stone on the board which has no grid visible, but decorated sides and legs. Photo. The image features on a greeting card. Also in the same case as the jar was a larger jar and a bowl featuring games but probably showing Chinese Chess.
Clandon Park, Surrey
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/places/clandonpark
Has an oriental decorated cupboard in one of the rooms, with a Go scene on one of the panels.
The Vyne, Sherborne St John, Hampshire
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/places/thevyne
This house dating from the 16th Century has two porcelain objects featuring Go.
In 2007, on the circular table in the library is a large 19th Century Chinese vase. It has ormolu handles and base, is about 70 cm tall and has a background of cobalt blue. It is decorated with fish, vases and other objects, including a flat gray Go board with two brown bowls.
On the mantelpiece in the gallery bedroom is a small rectangular Chinese procelain dish and lid, about 10 by 7 cm. On the lid, two ladies sit at a red table and play on a flat grey Go board, with one brown bowl visible. Other people stand nearby.
Osborne House, Isle Of Wight
www.tourist-information-uk.com/osborne-house.htm
Believed to have a vase depicting Go in Japan. This was hard to see in 2005, assumed to be the large vase on the floor on the far side of the dimly lit side room to the council chamber.
Abbotsford, Melrose
www.melrose.bordernet.co.uk/abbotsford
There is a very significant item which virtually proves that Sir Walter Scott knew about Go. At eye level as you pass between two of the principal rooms, there is a game of Go on a goban prominently featured in the Chinese wallpaper. Scott must have seen this many times a day when he lived there. The game shown is a design only, not a real game.
Hollytrees Museum, Colchester
www.colchestermuseums.org.uk/hollytrees/holly_index.html
There is a golden and painted Chinese fan presented by the local Chinese Society. It is not fully unfolded, but appears to show a man standing in front of a Go board amongst the pictures of figures.
Others
Others believed to have Go related objects are in Norwich, the Toy Museum in Edinburgh and the Oriental Museum in Durham.
The Horniman Museum in Dulwich, London SE23 3PQ, has a lot of Japanese items in its ethnic collection, but nothing Go-related is normally on view.
Pollock's Toy Musuem, 1 Scala Street, London W1T 2HL, does not have any Go, but has other old games.
The Queen's Collection is known to feature Go-related prints and she was presented with a set of yunzi stones in China a while ago (believed to be at Sandringham).
Exhibitions
China: The Three Emperors
From 12th November 2005 to 17th April 2006, an exhibition was held at the Royal Academy of Arts. It was called "China: The Three Emperors 1662-1795" and consisted of exhibits from the Palace Museum, Beijing. Several of the items displayed featured Go scenes.
Across the Board
Various objects from the British Museum's games collection toured the UK in 2005-2007 as the Across the Board exhibition. It visited Segedunum Fort, Exeter, Gosport, Leicester, Lincoln and Luton.
Wellcome Trust
In their Asian medical collection is a woodblock print by Kuniyoshi 1853 showing Chinese surgeon Hua T'o operating the arm of wounded war hero Guan Yu, who plays Go to distract from the pain. This was used as the cover picture of Go World magazine issues 7 and 83. Some of the collection was on display at the Brunei Gallery, SOAS, London from 13th October to 12th December 2004.