Antique Victorian Bagatelle. England, XIX Century

This curious and attractive board game is a Victorian bagatelle, an antique parlor game made in England in the 19th century. The game has survived to our days in very good condition and preserves all the original component parts and pieces. It can still be used to enjoy the game as a part of an evening of enjoyment. Aesthetically is a beautiful antique with its solid mahogany wooden box and side scorers made of delicate wooden embedded pieces of different colors. The mahogany wood is in great condition and shows off a wonderful satin finish that enhances its color. The original green felt has been replaced but both the box and the cue are original from the period. The balls are made of paste and come in three colors: black, white and red, resembling the classic billiard balls. The bagatelles (a French word that means trifle) are parlor games used in social gatherings. The game that we can see in these images is known as Victorian bagatelle. It has eight balls: four white, four red and one black.The aim of the game is to push the balls into the cups located at the top of the game by propelling them with the cue.The first ball must strike the black ball. If it does not, the ball is removed from the table, does not score and the player tries again in the same way until the black ball is moved. Balls must be played from the front spot until the black ball is struck. Thereafter, balls can be played from anywhere behind the front spot and it is not necessary to strike the black ball or any other ball.Any ball that returns more than half way down the table is removed for the remainder of the turn.The aim is to pot as many balls as possible in the cups, scoring points according to the value indicated in the cup. The black scores double points and so ideally will be deposited into the highest scoring cup in the middle thus scoring 18 points. The maximum score is therefore 54 points.The game is usually played to 120 points. However, if it is the first player who reaches the target first, that player must complete his turn and the second player must also complete a turn to ensure fairness. Once the second player has finished, the player with the highest score, wins.Fascinating and entertaining, this Victorian bagatelle will add a touch of class and elegance to any informal meeting. Measurements: Open: Width: 22.8 in / 58 cm. Length: 242 cm. Closed: Width: 22.8 in / 58 cm. Length: 47.6 in / 121 cm. Height: 5.1 in / 13 cm.