Victorian Games & Ephemera · London · c.1890–1920
Victorian and Edwardian Card-Playing — Goodall’s Bézique Scoring Register
C. Goodall & Son Ltd. · London · late 19th / early 20th century
Catalogue details
Description
An unusually decorative English scoring register for Bézique and Rubicon Bézique, with three rotating brass pointers, finely ornamented gilt decoration and an original printed score table on the reverse. Marked C. G. & S. Ltd · London. A historical gaming accessory of a type represented in major heritage collections.
- Dimensions
- Measurements gladly provided on request
- Maker
- C. Goodall & Son Ltd.
- Place
- London, England
- Date
- Late nineteenth to early twentieth century (approximate)
- Materials
- Decorated board/panel, brass pointers, printed score chart
- Components
- Three pivoting score pointers; reverse scoring table
- Reference
- TBH-GB-GAME-GOODALL-BEZIQUE-C1900
- Condition
- Please consult the photographs for condition. Additional photographs are available on request.
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Historical context & sources
Victorian parlour gaming
Bézique was a popular nineteenth-century trick-taking card game; Rubicon Bézique was a variant using an expanded scoring system. Purpose-made score registers allowed players to track totals using rotating pointers. This example carries Goodall branding with richly ornamental lettering and a red score chart to the reverse.
The attribution to Goodall is supported by the printed mark on the object. The proposed c.1890–1920 dating is approximate; no precise manufacturing date appears in the supplied photographs.
Maker and printed markings
The face is marked “Marker for Bézique and Rubicon Bézique”, with the “Goodall” trade emblem and the London maker’s initials. The reverse contains a printed table headed “Bézique Score”.
Catalogue provenance beyond current ownership has not been established.
Museum comparanda
Comparable Bézique scoring markers are held by the National Trust, Coleton Fishacre (NT 85536), and Historic New England (GUSN-250900). These references establish the historic type, not a provenance link to this particular example.
