Description

The Marquess’ Coromandel Games Compendium. By Betjemann & Son.

Boasting beautiful elaborate engraved brass bands that run from front to back, with further decorative brass edging and an elaborate engraved initial plate with a royal crown running through its centre. The number of gaming pieces and unusual layout of the trays indicates that the compendium would be commissioned; in this case for a Marquess, as the coronet of a Marquess has four strawberry leaves and four balls of which only three leaves and two balls would be clearly seen in head-on.
The interior is veneered in exotic satinwood, incorporating folding ivory and coromandel chess and backgammon board, an ivory chess set (stained red, and left natural), a brass cribbage board, two bone, a set of thirty ivory backgammon counters (stained red and left natural), two boneshakers and an ivory & brass bezique marker. Removal of this tray reveals more gaming pieces and bezique markers and cards.
The drawer at the front of the box can be accessed by pressing the brass button located on the back edge of the box when open which, when pressed, reveals a sprung drawer. This contains ivory finger pointers, six enamelled brass pegs, four packs of cards and a removable centre tray with a selection of bone counters. Removal of this tray will reveal yet more gaming pieces. On the drawer is a retailer’s brass plaque reading:
F WEST, by appointment,1 St James St. W.This wonderful Antique Games Box comes with a fully working lock & tasselled key.

Additional information