Token boxes

The shape of the boxes of four different colours — red, white, green and yellow — is identical; they have a similar chinoiserie decoration. The rims of the bottom and the covers of the flat, square boxes are slightly protruding. The folding covers open on copper hinges. There is a round disc, depicting a dolphin, in the middle of the cover; when the disc is switched, Roman numerals I—X appear in a heart-shaped slot, a figure from the Commedia dell' Arte stands or dances on the two sides of the disc. The bottoms of the boxes show genre scenes: a Chinaman holding a bird, sitting, smoking a pipe or stretching a tray towards a duck. The inside of the covers depict animal figures sitting on colourful, flowery boughs: a butterfly, a bird, a snail and a duck. The mark can be found below the decoration, on the frame: mariaual le Jeune a Paris fecit. The boxes contain long, square and round tokens with cut corners; bon mot inscriptions appear on several of the round and long ones, with a corresponding illustration. Mrs. Koroknay, in her study cited below, found that the boxes were used for a game of cards called reversi. A marked, similar set by the same master is exhibited under Cat. No. 6.193.