Rare Gucci Burl wood "Shut the Box " Game
This rare piece is a Vintage Gucci Burl Wood “Shut the Box” Game, likely dating from the 1970s. It is a luxury, designer interpretation of a classic nautical and pub dice game. While “Shut the Box” is typically found in a rectangular wooden box with flippable tiles, Gucci’s version uses a circular board made of high-quality burl wood (often maple or walnut) with a polished finish and coloured discs.
How the Game Works The objective of the game is to “shut” (cover) all the numbers from 1 to 9 based on the roll of two dice. • Setup: You start with all the numbers (1–9) revealed. • The Roll: A player rolls two dice. • The Move: You add the numbers on the dice together and cover any combination of numbers on the board that equals that sum. • Example: If you roll a 7, you could cover the 7 disc, or the 5 and 2, or the 4 and 3. • Continuing: You keep rolling and covering numbers until you can no longer make a combination that matches your roll. • Winning: Your score is the total of the numbers left uncovered. The ultimate goal—a “Shut the Box”—is to cover all the numbers, resulting in a score of zero.
Why It’s Rare Most vintage Gucci game sets from this era (found in “game trunks”) focus on Backgammon, Chess, or Poker. This standalone circular board is a much rarer find. It reflects the “Home Collection” aesthetic Gucci popularised in the 70s, characterised by rich wood grains and gold-tone or colourful accents.
( Forgive the light reflection )