Victorian Scottish Tartanware Bezique Score Counter with Original Pegs, c. 1870–1900
Victorian Scottish Tartanware Bezique Score Counter with Original Pegs, c. 1870–1900
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3" H x 2" W x .5" D
This charming Victorian tartanware piece is a traditional Bezique score counter, made to track points during play of the popular 19th-century parlor card game. Bezique was widely enjoyed throughout Britain in the late Victorian era, particularly as a refined two-player game played in drawing rooms and private clubs.
The score counter features a classic tartan-patterned surface with gilt numbering, allowing scores to be recorded in tens and hundreds using two original pegs. One peg is red and the other cream, each corresponding to a player. Scores are tracked by moving the pegs along the numbered holes, an elegant and tactile alternative to pen and paper.
Constructed with a solid wood core and finished with an ebonized edge, the piece includes a brass swivel latch at the top that secures the peg wells when not in use. The tartan decoration reflects the Victorian fascination with Scottish identity and Highland romanticism, a design trend that extended into decorative objects, games, and souvenirs during the period.
Both original pegs are present, a detail that significantly enhances the collectibility of this piece. Today, it serves beautifully as a decorative object for a desk, library shelf, or games vignette, while still retaining its original functionality and historical charm.
Condition: The surface shows expected wear to the tartan finish, including light rubbing and areas of varnish loss. The edges display minor scuffing and wear. The brass latch has developed a warm, natural patina. Both original pegs are present and intact, showing age-appropriate wear
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All antique and vintage items are shipped from our warehouse in Bluffdale, Utah. Each piece is carefully packed by hand using archival materials and custom crating when necessary.
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Every antique and vintage item we carry has lived a life before arriving in your home. These are not factory-made products. They are objects with history, character, and the marks of time.
Age-appropriate wear, patina, minor imperfections, and signs of previous use or repair are inherent to antique and vintage items and are not considered defects. These characteristics are part of what makes each piece unique and are often what give it its beauty and value.
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