pope joan components; game board

Counter tray made of wood and decorated with paint, used in the card game known as 'Pope Joan' to contain counters that are won by players. No counters or cards are present.

The board is circular, with eight trapezoidal compartments around the edge, and a circular compartment in the middle to house the counters when the game is not in use. A detachable lid sits on the central compartment. The other eight compartments are marked around the rim as: King, Queen, Jack, and Nine of Diamonds (the 'Pope' card), 'Game', 'Matrimony', and 'Intrigue'. During play, different numbers of counters would be placed in each compartment, and could be won by playing the appropriate card, or combination of cards. Each compartment is decorated with a painted flower.

The board is painted green overall, and decorated with gold, red, and black paint. The board is attached to a small pedestal base, and can be rotated.

Label: Old yellow exhibition label, typed in black ink.

Collection Information

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