Mid 19th Century Tunbridge Ware Cribbage Board

Description

Heading : A Mid 19th Century Tunbridge Ware Cribbage Board
Date : c1850
Period : Victoria
Origin : Tunbridge Wells. kent
Decoration :
Size : 18.4cm x 3.6 x 0.8
Condition : One of the cups is cracked. The sufface varnish has crazed and flaked
Restoration : None
Weight :  31 grams

The card game Cribbage is believed to have been created in the early 17th Century. The objective of the game was to score a target number of points. typically 61 or 121. The cribbage board was designed to keep track of the score by moving wooden, bone or ivory pegs along the board

This Tunbridge Ware example was made circa 1850 from mahogany, boxwood and rosewood. The board itself sits on four turned wooden bun feet with ‘cups’ above for storing the pegs. We include pegs but every time I have played in a public house matchsticks are used.

The story of Tunbridge Ware is not well documented. It reached its peak of popularity in Victorian times when it became fashionable to visit the historic Pantiles in Tunbridge Wells to sample the healing powers of the Chalybeate springs. Local craftsman created a wealth of products that could be bought by visitors to commemorate their time at the Spa. As the popularity of the distinctive marquetry and parquetry products grew so did the complexity and variety of designs and the industry itself.

This is a perfectly functional antique !