101891 | GREAT BRITAIN. Set of 4 enameled porcelain Gaming "Queens" Counters.

101891  |  GREAT BRITAIN. Set of four enameled porcelain Jetons or Gaming "Queens" Counters for Whist. Issued circa 1830-1870.

 

1). (29mm, 3.69 g). Queen of Diamonds; 2). (29mm, 3.69 g). Queen of Spades; 3). (29mm, 3.72 g). Queen of Hearts; 4). (29mm, 4.00 g) Queen of Clubs.

 

All pieces: About Uncirculated. Some light wear to the gilding on the rims, but the remainder of the enamel is essentially intact; some very light staining on the reverses of a few is observed. A great set, with hand painting on each side. Quite rare this attractive and well preserved as a set. Includes intricate case of issue.

 

Whist is a trick-taking game played in pairs and with a standard "French-style" 52 card deck, immensely popular in the 18th and 19th centuries. Countless varieties on the standard game exist and, due to the nature of scoring, some form of notation was required, with tokens such as this providing a popular means. Additionally, containers for the pieces were often also produced, allowing the owner to conveniently bring their tokens to the table for use. These sets represent a 19th century analog to a contemporary chip set brought for a spirited night of gameplay.

 

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