Antique Victorian Bagatelle Table

11/18/2006 12:46:58 AM

Antique Victorian Bagatelle Table

I just bought an old baize-lined folding billiard table which, when opened up and placed on a dining table measures only 1 foot 10 inches x 7 feet 10 inches.

I believe it may be from the early 1900s. It is described as follows:

It is intended to be played from one end only, the farthest end being semi-circular and having 9 numbered indentations lined in wood, and arranged in a circle, one being in the middle.
It has two spots, one close to the holes, one at the other end.
It came with three balls: two white balls (one of which has a black spot) and one red ball.
There are holes, grouped in fives down the outer long edges of the casing, presumably for scoring with pegs.

If there were rules of play they are long since lost.

Can anyone tell us what type of billiard game this is and explain how it is played?

rbrittain

Antique Victorian Bagatelle Table

Replies & Comments

billiardsforum on 11/21/2006 12:52:25 AM
Cool find.

You have a home version of a folding Victorian bagatelle table. Bagatelle became very popular and fashionable during the Victorian era and numerous Victorian bagatelle tables were made for home use. These were generally smaller than the pub bagatelle games and were often designed to be folded up for storage. Typically, folding billiard tables are thought to be of low quality, but most of these folding Victorian bagatelle tables were high quality pieces.

Prices for these Victorian Bagatelle folding tables vary widely depending on condition. Fully restored versions go for over £1000, while un-restored versions can be easily found for £100 to £400.

The game that is played on this folding Victorian bagatelle table is aptly called Victorian bagatelle. You can find the rules for Victorian bagatelle on this site. Another variation is old English bagatelle rules, also found on this site. Apparently these games morphed turned in to pinball and Pachinko.

Also, it sounds like you are missing balls. A set of Victorian bagatelle balls would have one black ball, four red balls and four white balls (or sometimes one black ball and eight white balls).

The game you are describing seems to match this folding Victorian bagatelle table, which were from between 1880 and 1900.

Additional Victorian Bagatelle and Old English Bagatelle resources:
- www3.bell.net/max-com/bagatelle.html
- chesterbagatelle.co.uk/history.htm
- tradgames.org.uk/games/Bagatelle.htm

Antique Victorian Bagatelle Table

Title: Antique Victorian Bagatelle Table
Author: rbrittain (Ruth Brittain)
Published: 11/18/2006 12:46:58 AM
Last Updated: 11/16/2016 9:29:21 AM
Last Updated By: billiardsforum (Billiards Forum)