Two Pairs -- British Tortoiseshell and Japanese Painted
Fronts of Japanese Painted Bezique Counters |
Backs |
Fronts of British Tortoiseshell Bezique Counters |
Backs |
 Detail of silver inscription |
 Detail of silver mark |
Pair of Japanese Bezique or Whist Counters |
Pair of Tortoiseshell Bezique or Whist Counters |
Two pairs of decorative bezique or whist counters (also called whist markers). Bezique and whist are related card games that became popular in the late 19th century. One of the pairs is made of tortoiseshell trimmed in silver, and was made by Andrew Barrett & Sons, a London silver maker that worked at 63 Piccadilly between 1844 and 1970. The other pair was produced in Japan, made from wood painted with a design incorporating a carp, a prawn and leaves, with red, green and earth tones. Both pairs of counters have ivory pegs, some with numbers.
Both the pairs of counters are in the Camden design, originated by British playing card manufacturer Charles Goodall and Sons. The Camden was produced in woods such as ebony, walnut, rosewood and satinwood, sometimes incorporating silver elements, and with pegs of either wood, or in higher-end versions, ivory. After Goodall and Sons' patent expired, the design was widely copied by producers in Europe and Asia.
References:
"Bezique Counters." Whist Counter (or Marker) Collecting. http://www.charlesmathes.com/whist/Whist%20-%20bezique_counters.htm
(26 December 2011).
"Goodall vs. De La Rue." Whist Counter (or Marker) Collecting. http://www.charlesmathes.com/whist/whist%20counters%20-%20Goodall%20vs%20de%20la%20Rue.htm (26 December 2011).