Bezique Counters

Bezique was another card game that became popular in the late 19th century.  Both Charles Goodall and Sons and Thomas De La Rue produced counters for this game -- the vast majority of them in cardboard.

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Charles Goodall and Sons also adapted their superior (and patented) whist counter design to accommodate Bezique scoring.  The model below was actually called the Camden -- the same as its whist counterpart.

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Different grades of this counter were sold, the best with ivory pegs -- or "turnups," as Goodall called them.

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Naturally this design soon began appearing all over the place when the patent expired -- or the design was simply stolen.  The ivory counter below with mother-of-pearl pegs, one of a pair, bears French patent marks: "Brevete S.G.D.G."

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Goodall manufactured the tiny "Tom Thumb" whist marker, just 2 3/8 x 1 1/4 inches, but for some reason Bezique inspired manufacturers to go the opposite direction. The "standard size of a Goodall type whist counter was about 3 1/2 x 2 inches.  The largest counter in the group below measures 7 1/8 x 3 1/4.

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I don't really collect Bezique counters, but when I began my collection I didn't know the difference.  And these Goodall type counters made that same satisfying little click.  

Here's my newest one:

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