British Interwar Period Beech Parlor Croquet Set on Turned Stand
LANGUAGE UNLOCK
Glossary Roundup
Original Presentation Script
No narration for this appraisal report
Used for this report's TTS and avatar presentation.
Item Report
British Interwar Period Beech Parlor Croquet Set on Turned Stand
By:Unknown (not visibly marked; not attributed to a specific maker)
Style:Edwardian-to-Interwar parlor game
Origin:United Kingdom
Materials:Turned beech (possibly maple) for stand and mallets; painted hardwood balls; iron/steel wire wickets
Age:circa 1920–1940
Condition:Good (age-consistent scuffs and paint loss to balls and mallet heads; stand with surface wear; completeness not fully verified)
Value:$80–180 at auction
Maker's Marks / Writing:No visible maker’s label, stamp, or writing observed on stand, mallets, or balls in the provided image.
Date:2025-09-18 11:27:50.285374
Description:
Compact wooden parlor (table) croquet set comprising a circular turned-wood stand with central finial and slotted collar holding numerous short mallets; several painted, banded wooden balls resting on the base; and a bundle of wire hoops/wickets visible at right. The mallets and balls bear colored stripes typical of early 20th-century croquet sets. Likely beech or maple for the mallets and stand, with iron/steel wire wickets.
Curator Questions
Curated by Jade
Assessment:
This is a vintage parlor/table croquet set intended for indoor play, presented on a handsome turned stand. The proportions, turned forms, and painted banding, together with honest wear to the mallet heads and balls and oxidation to the wickets, point to an early-to-mid 20th century British set rather than a modern reproduction. Completeness cannot be fully confirmed from a single photo (typical sets include 6 balls, 6 mallets, 9 wickets, and 2 posts; this stand appears to hold more mallets than standard), but the ensemble shows appealing patina for display and casual play. A word about fakes.. Parlor and lawn-game sets are regularly reproduced; modern examples usually have glossy polyurethane finishes, bright new paint, and machine-sharp wire wickets—your set shows age-consistent surface wear and finish softening, which supports period manufacture.
Individual Images:
whole item
Provenance:
No provenance provided.
Condition:
Good (age-consistent scuffs and paint loss to balls and mallet heads; stand with surface wear; completeness not fully verified)
Identification Score: 92%
Form, components (mallets, banded balls, wickets), and dedicated stand strongly identify the object as a parlor/table croquet set; minor uncertainty remains about completeness and exact maker.
Authenticity Score: 70%
Wear to paint and mallet tips, softened varnish, and oxidation on wickets suggest genuine age consistent with 1920–40; no maker’s label is visible and many reproductions exist, so confidence is moderate rather than high.
Image Memory Note
Image shows a compact parlor/table croquet set centered in the frame. The set features a circular wooden base with a glossy medium-brown finish, a central turned column rising to a bulb finial, and a slotted ring/collar near the top from which multiple short mallets hang vertically (approximately 10–12 mallets visible). Mallets have light-colored wood shafts and cylindrical heads; many shafts and heads show narrow painted bands (black, red, blue). On the base are several small wooden balls with bold painted stripes in red, blue, black, and natural wood. Two small conical, peg-like finials (one red, one green) are seated on the slotted collar—likely representing the croquet end posts. To the right of the stand sits a bundled group of U-shaped metal wire wickets/hoops; several have small red wooden pieces attached near their tops. To the left of the set are unrelated workshop items (two black metal C-clamps, a coiled cloth tape measure) and a small wooden plank placed upright behind the set; these appear incidental and not part of the croquet ensemble. No text, labels, trademarks, or maker’s marks are visible on the stand, mallets, or balls. Condition notes: overall surface wear on mallet heads (rounded edges, minor dents), light paint losses on balls and mallet stripes, small scuffs to the wooden base; wire wickets show mild oxidation. No fractures or major repairs observed.
Share: