Please either browse this page or click on the
name of the item group you're interested in to go straight there.
Historical novelties / curiosities -=- scoring gadgets and calculators -=- Glass and ceramics -=- ashtrays and pin trays -=- cigarette lighters -=- trump indicators -=- Playing card boxes -=- drinks coasters -=- collectable playing cards -=- miscellaneous - scoring pads, clocks, trays, autographs, etc.
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Historical novelties / curiosities. Please note all
prices on this page include delivery.
I'm not sure what to make of this battered old pewter
jug. Just over 5" tall, it's marked GENUINE PEWTER
on the base. Applied decoration reads: "Winfield
Liggett Jr Contract Bridge Studio" inside a ship's
wheel with an anchor motif. The 1931 Culbertson-Lenz
match was “The Bridge Battle of the Century"
and consisted of 150 rubbers, and was held in 20 evening
sessions from December 7, 1931 to January 8, 1932.
Culbertson wagered $5000 to Lenz’s $1000 with all
moneys going to charity regardless of who won. Sidney
Lenz played the first 103 rubbers with Oswald Jacoby, who
then resigned. For the remaining 47 rubbers, Commander
Winfield Liggett Jr. took Jacoby’s place. Was this
his personal mug or did he own a studio that churned them
out? I have no idea but it must be a piece of bridge
history. £25
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Scoring gadgets and calculators |
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"Carfax" calculator. 2¾" high. Plastic - Made
in England. £15. |
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Glass and ceramics |
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Aynsley fortune-telling Cup of Knowledge £26 |
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| Two continental curved white glass dishes, depicting
a (naughty) Rex of Hearts and Dame of Diamonds in gold.
Each 4" x 6½". You can see a tiny
nick on the bottom left side of the D. £25 each, £40
the pair. |
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| Here is a curved white dish 3½" x 5". Some minor
nicks to right edge at back. £6 
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Two American curved smoked-glass dishes, each 5"
x 7". One shows scores (extra undertricks not
increasing in value as now), the other shows point count
values (suggests opening 3NT with 25-27). Ref. NWR. £9.50
each, £17.50 pair.
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Sascha Brastoff made decorative
accessories, ceramics, enamels on copper, and plastics of
his own design. He headed a factory, Sascha Brastoff of
California, Inc., in West Los Angeles, from 1953 until
about 1973. He died in 1993.
Here is a very rare and unusual 1965 "ACBL Fall
Nationals" Souvenir Bowl. White pottery in Free-Form
style with San Francisco Street Car scene in gold and
black. These were a custom order by the ACBL and had a
limited run. No damage, gold slightly worn in centre from
use. 8" x 6". Ref aooc.
Book price £55. My price £45
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"Cut for Coffee" set of fine bone china cup
and saucer. Better pics coming soon. I have a 1 cup,
approx 2½" high and 4 saucers approx 5"
diameter (Elizabethan).
So grab as many as you like at £7.50 each. These are
marked "not dishwasher safe" - presumably
because of the gold trim. |
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Brandy bottle. Not sure whether it's ceramic or white
glass. This one is approx 4" tall, and the plastic
top has a crack. £4 I
also have one 8" high with no top - makes a good
vase - @ £7
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China box marked Bridge. 4½" long. Small chip to
underside of lid. £9 |
Ashtrays and pin trays |
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Here is a set of four ceramic symbols, with a puppy
on each. Said to be 1940s. No marks, but each has a hand-written
pattern number on a paper label. £40. |
This one looks like cast iron. 4¼" tall, Rd No 692587. £6 |
| Below is a set of porcelain ashtrays and
holder which have some age. As they do not bear a mark of
country of origin (see below for scan of maker's mark
which is on each piece, gold coloured, maybe transfer), I
presume them to be 19th century. The overglaze printing
has worn very slightly, but it is still a very decorative
piece. The trays are 3½"
in length. £65. |
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| Set of four white glass ashtrays with hand-painted
rose design. £35 |
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Set of four perfect Wedgwood ashtrays - never used.
About 5" long. My ref hohc. £35 |
| Royal Worcester pin dish with box. Just under 3½" diameter. £6 |
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Set of 4 heavy onxy ashtrays. 4 to 5½" in length. My ref cnw.
£14 |
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Limoges Porcelain Ashtray. The item has gold
trim, a blue border, and a Queen of Hearts design in the
centre. approx. 2" wide x 3¼" deep. Backstamp reads
SA Porcelaine LIMOGES France. My ref ann. £5 |
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5½" ashtray with ace of
spades, or queen or jack of hearts. New, boxed, unused.
£8 each - 1 left. |
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| Here is a set of 4 silver ashtrays. The
diamond is 4" long. Each hallmarked in
Birmingham 1972. Some small dents. £39 |
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Cigarette lighters |
| Brand new gas cigarette lighters £5 each. The
decoration is just a transfer so wears off quickly with
use. Lighter operates by sliding front over like a card
to reveal card behind. I also have a Jack of spades with
a small scratch through his hair @ £2.50. |
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Trump Indicators |
| (right) Early indicator in bakelite ashtray.
£35 |
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(Right) Trump
indicator on pencil
Small (just
1" across) trump indicator which is mounted
on the end of a pencil (which has never been
sharpened) so that you can keep your score. The
celluloid wheel turns to show the trumps through
a small window - all four trumps and "no
trumps". Nice floral design. £33Ref aox.
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(left) Log post trump
indicator. A varnished natural log with a hole
drilled in the top to make it into a spill or
match holder. Standing 3" tall this trump
indicator has the tabs for all four trumps and
"no trumps" showing to both sides and
hanging from a post. My ref lfx. £39
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(left) Kitty tray. A
simple felt-lined wooden tray reminding you to put money
in the kitty with indicator (white plastic pointer) on
the back. 5" across. £35 (right) Kitty box.
Wooden (plywood) box to hold the kitty with 3 squares
marked with suits. 7" long. Writing style looks pre-war.
£39
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Isle
of Wight Souvenirs
I have two trump
indicators with the same photograph of Ventnor on the
front. These were made in the south of England as
souvenirs. They are wooden and have a celluloid disc in
the top which rotates to show the four trumps and "NO"
for no trumps. Left: without calendar. Ref alx £29
The one on the right
has a holder at the front for a perpetual calendar (missing).
Ref acx £30
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And yet another Island one. This one says WOT!! NO
KITTY and has a transfer of the Island's coat of arms
with galleon. £15 |
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Card boxes |
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Card box 4" x 5". Very shiny finish, King
of Clubs is called 12, not K, so origin unknown to me. £10. |
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Card box to hold 1 pack. The diamond is cut out of
the lid and glued to the swiveling inside part. £10. |
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Flowery card box to hold 2 packs. £12. |
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Inlaid two-pack box shaped like thick book. Glued
construction, needs re-glueing. £5 |
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Left: Poppy design hinged box for two packs. £8Right: Small box (2½" x
3½") with inlaid club. Separate top slightly warped.
£5 |
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Lacquered red card box to hold 2 packs. Lid cut to
shape around symbols. Seems like papier-maché £19 . |
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New wooden card box to hold 2 packs. Made in Poland.
£9. |
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Very nice old box for single pack. Wooden carcass
with hand-hammered pewter cover decorated with a heart on
one side and a club on the other. Lift-off lid. £19 |
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c. 1930 Art Deco Byrrh tin in the shape of a book.
Holds 1 pack. Some surface rust. My ref lnf. £9 |
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Box covered in mother-of-pearl. Hand made in India. 4¾" x 6¼" x 1" high. Holds
2 packs. The club is silver but doesn't look it in my
scan. The piece of mother-of-pearl just above the left 'leaf'
has a small hole. Click the pic to see a larger image. £10 |
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Box made of attractively-figured wood. Decoration on
front consisting of crossed lines (they're painted, not
inlaid). Covered in deep polish. There is a natural crack
in one side panel. Click a pic to see a larger image. £10 |
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Wooden box, similar to above but with a decoration of
suit symbols, which seem to have been painted beneath the
varnish. Slight wear marks, but somebody has drilled 2
small holes into the base, which don't actually affect it.
£8 |
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An attractive box viewed from the front, with
decoration of flowers and suit symbols. It is plywood
construction, and has a sliding Bakelite cover for the
box which holds 2 packs - there are ribbons for removal.
Seems largely unused as there is very little wear, but
aging is evident from some rust to the tops of nails used
in construction. £19. |
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Box 9" x 5½" X 1½". Lid has decoration of
joker with suit symbols & dice. Outlines are
impressed, resembling poker-work. Inside are compartments
for 3 packs, pencils, & dice. New, but with a tiny
chip out of base (does not show in use). My ref ffn. £9 |
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Fairly old oak box holds 2 pack. Top a little faded
& spotted. Secured by a catch which has broken but
just saves you having to press it to open. £9 |
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Left: Modern (new) oriental box. Ply construction,
stained dark with red design all around. £6Right: Card case with 2
compartments to resemble leather-bound book. £5 |
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Coasters |
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6 metal coasters, 1950s? 5 are in very good condition,
the sixth has some wear to the top. They are in the shape
of a flower with playing cards and suit symbols on them.
They measure 3 inches across. The underside is deep red.
My ref als. £5 |
Playing cards |
Some of the foreign advertisers have foreign
symbols on their cards eg R for K!
Packs marked 'skat' are for a German game, and don't have 52
cards (2-5 often missing), but they tend to be decorative.
Don't ask the prices - they are £2.50 for single packs, £5 for
doubles. Post free.
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Old small patience set in worn box. Central divider
missing. Contains 2 worn packs. £10 |
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Miscellaneous |
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Waddington's Cubex - the card game with blocks.
Instruction booklet. £9 |
| 4 Pewter place-setting holders. 1¾" high. Base reads: Fine
Pewter 1999. Great for a bridge party. £25 |
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| Goren's Bridge for Two game. Consists of two plastic
card holders, cards, instructions & score pad. The
box is a little kncked-about, but the game seems unused (the
cards are not plastic coated so don't handle well and
they are slim to fit the holders). My ref chf. £9 |
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| Chas H Goren's Rolomatic Bridge Machine set II for
experienced players ©
1969. Play solo bridge. It is a plastic box with windows
that show the hands which are printed on a paper roll (starts
at hand number 41). Turning the knobs advances the play
card by card. No instructions (you don't really need any)
or commentary booklet (deal 41 is so simple I can't
imagine what commentary you need), box lid split down
sides. My ref chs. £9 |
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| The Richfield Reporter NBC Point Count Bidding Wheel.
Move the pointer to your honour tricks & select your
bid, or to partner's opening bid, & it tells you what
to respond. £10 |
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| Cigarette box. The decoration on the lids is an
ashtray with smoking cigarettes and fans of playing cards.
It was made by Golden Age Black & Gold Giftware with
their brochure (right). It actually holds 2 packs of
cards nicely, but I'm not sure it would hold today's king-size
cigs. It's mint condition in its original (damaged) box
with brochure which says the hard-lacquered gold finish
should not be cleaned with abrasives. Overall length 7".
£9 |
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(left) Art Nouveau style glass cake
plate with playing card decoration -7½" diameter has metal rim
with bun feet and metal handles -good order -the glass is
NOT scratched -the card motifs are very good. My ref ahhn.
£29 |
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| Here are two erasers from the 70s, I understand.
Unused. The Queen of spades is 1" wide, £3 (SOLD).
The suits nearly 2" wide, the 4 individual suit
shapes can be pushed out. £5. |
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Left - Metal enamel brooch of a king. Pin clasp with
swivel safety catch. Ref ann. £6 |
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Here is a playing card signed by Henry Winkler (a.k.a.
The Fonz) for Jays Black
Dragons Judo Club in Dagenham. They auctioned it to raise
funds. £5. |
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(Left) 1½" high pink plastic
pencil sharpener marked FOREIGN. I think it's from the
1950s but not sure. My ref fsc. £7 |
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Metal tray 13½"
diameter with cartoons by Joe Carpenter. Scoring table in
centre (undertricks not as now). Small scratches on
reverse. Ref hnha. £29. |
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Attractive 1930's bakelite(?) scoring pad or tally
holder in the form of a chinaman. The back of his 'coat'
lifts up to reveal a score pad with the usual columns for
We/They and sections for Points & Honors (spelling
indicates US provenance). The word 'Bridge' is
engraved on the cover and a little pencil on a string
attaches to the pad; the pencil holder is just starting a
slight crack. Pencil is in good condition and not
much used; there are about six pages of the score pad
left and a little pencil writing on the cardboard backing
of the pad. The back is plain. From the tip of his
pointed hat to the soles of his shoes this item is about
7 inches high, and the score pad itself is 3½ inches high. This item is in
good condition for its age. My ref fcl. £9
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(right) 4 horse brasses, approx 4"+ height.
Collected separately, so not 100% matching (shape of loop
at top etc). Makes a nice display. My ref hann. £19 |
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