Token boxes

The boxes are differentiated by the four colours of cards, i.e. red for spades, transparent for hearts, green for diamonds and yellow for clubs. They have an identical shape and a similar chinoiserie decoration. The rims of the bottom and the cover of the flat, square boxes are slightly protruding. The folding covers open on copper hinges. The figural and ornamental decoration appears in a narrow frame over the sides of each box. The disc with a square slot and Roman numerals I—X, placed in the middle of the cover, can be switched. There are figures from Commedia dell1 Arte on both sides of the disc. The bottom of the boxes shows animal figures: a squirrel, a duck, a snail and a butterfly. The insides of the covers are decorated with flowery boughs. The mark is on the lower part of the frame surrounding the boughs: mariaual le Jeune a Paris fecit. As Eva Koroknay, the researcher of these pieces stated, the boxes were used for a certain game of cards called reversi. The fame and popularity of the game is proved by the fact that is deserved a whole entry in the French Encyclopaedia, edited by Diderot and D'Alambert. A similar, marked set by the same master is exhibited under Cat. No. 6.194.