Games Compendiums were popular during the Victorian era and continued to be so. Victorian ones were often very elaborate, usually made of wood and contained a variety of games.
Below are some examples of some games compendiums including a Victorian Coromandel and Agate set and an unusual compendium set combined with a picnic set.
A LATE VICTORIAN PLATED BRASS MOUNTED COROMANDEL GAMES COMPENDIUM of rectangular form with strapwork style mounts, the lid opening to reveal a fitted interior with folding gilt tooled leather chess and backgammon board and various lift out trays containing a cribbage board, a part set of bone and ebony dominoes, a part set of red stained and natural counters, two Bezique markers, a part set of painted cast lead racing horse figures and hedge/fence jumps and a pair of leather dice shakers, the hinged front fitted a pegged red stained and natural bone thirty two piece chess set, some damages and losses
Sold for £ 1,530 (US$ 1,888) inc. premium at Bonhams in 2021
A VICTORIAN COROMANDEL AND AGATE MOUNTED GAMES COMPENDIUM
RETAILED BY EVERINGTON, NOTTINGHAM, CIRCA 1880
Containing an ivory cribbage and dominoes boards, dice and score hands, bone chess set, draughts and games counters
7 in. (17.7 cm.) high, the box
Sold for GBP 3,000 at Christies in 2016
Antique game compendium tiger oak box set with bone game pieces. Set features bone chess pieces, bone checkers, bone dice, cast metal horse pieces, leather game boards, and more. Fair condition with wear from age anduse. Box may be missing a few pieces. Box measures 13″ across, 9.5 ” deep, 7″ tall.
Sold for US$600 at Kraft Auction Service, in 2022
The 12th Duke of Hamilton’s Travelling Picnic and Games Compendium, retailed by Walter Thornhill, London, 1873
the mahogany case converting to a table and with a brass carrying handle and inlaid and engraved brass cypher for the Duke of Hamilton, Brandon and Chatelherault, opening to reveal a rosewood and boxwood parquetry chessboard (playing surface 36.5cm. by 56cm.), enclosing a blue baise lined surface (75cm. by 56cm.) with gilt-tooled leather border, the interior fitted and including thirty-two ivory chess pieces with brass fixing pins; a leather card box; two leather caddies with blue silk linings; six graduated stacking horn beakers with glass bottoms, each with a removable silver lid, Thomas Johnson, London, 1873; six silver tiffin plates with monogram, Wright & Davies, London, 1873, a set of six steel knives with ivory handles, marked V.R / Thornhill and six silver forks, London, 1873, also with monogram held in a fold-over leather case; a silver travelling condiment set in three parts and of graduated form, comprising salt, pepper and mustard with glass liner and gilt interior, Thomas Johnson, London, 1873; a further glass lidded condiment vessel with electroplate top, two silver-topped glass spirit bottles with engraved cypher, Thomas Johnson, London, 1872, one with paper label for burgundy contained in a leather travelling case stamped ‘Walter Thornhill 144 New Bond St.’
Sold for 23,940 GBP at Sotheby’s in 2021
