Artmink

Victorian/Edwardian Parlor Table Croquet Set on Turned Hardwood Stand

By: Unknown maker

Style: Victorian/Edwardian parlor game equipment

Origin: United Kingdom (England)

Materials: Turned hardwood stand (likely mahogany); beech/maple mallets; painted hardwood balls; iron nails/pins (not visible but typical)

Age: circa 1890–1910

Condition: Good (honest surface wear and paint losses to balls/mallets; stand shows finish wear/possible revarnish; completeness unverified—wickets not visible)

Value: $200–$400 (auction, assuming mostly complete and original)

Maker's Marks / Writing: No maker’s marks or inscriptions visible in the image.

Date: 2025-09-18 11:26:52.205755

Description:

A late 19th–early 20th century parlor (table) croquet set comprising multiple small wooden mallets and striped hardwood balls, organized on a turned, finial-topped circular stand with a rotating-style base. The mallets are slender, lathe-turned beech/maple with simple ring turnings; balls are hand-painted in banded red, blue, black, and white. The stand appears to be stained/varnished hardwood (likely mahogany or similar). Two small turned, painted pegs are present for scoring/colour markers. Classic Victorian home-entertainment game intended for indoor play on carpets or tables.

Curator Questions

Curated by Jade

Assessment:

Well-presented antique parlor croquet ensemble with charming period paint and honest use wear. The stand and components look consistent with late Victorian/Edwardian manufacture; the glossy finish on the stand may be an old re-varnish. Wickets/hoops are not visible and may be missing—this impacts completeness and value. A word about fakes.. Parlor game sets are occasionally assembled from mixed parts or later refinished to appear older; while outright forgeries are less common than in some categories, caution is warranted—look for consistent lathe work, compatible patina across pieces, and natural age wear rather than uniform distressing.

Individual Images:

whole item

Provenance:

No provenance provided.

Condition:

Good (honest surface wear and paint losses to balls/mallets; stand shows finish wear/possible revarnish; completeness unverified—wickets not visible)

Identification Score: 92%

The turned carousel stand, miniature croquet mallets, and banded balls are textbook features of a Victorian/Edwardian parlor (table) croquet set. The proportions, turning details, and period paint strongly support this identification.

Authenticity Score: 58%

Visible age-consistent wear to tips and paint suggests period use; construction and turning are appropriate. However, single image limits verification of completeness, originality of finish, and whether pieces are from the same set. The glossy stand may be a later revarnish and wickets are not shown.

Image Memory Note

Primary object: a circular, turned wooden stand with a domed, rounded base and a central turned column terminating in a bulbous finial. Around the column is a circular carrier ring with multiple vertical slots/holes holding approximately a dozen slender wooden mallet handles. Mallets: small, lathe-turned with simple ring turnings near the grips; heads are short, rectangular, and rounded at edges; wood species appears light (beech/maple). Many mallets show wear/soiling at tips and small dents. Balls: several small wooden balls with hand-painted bands in red, black, blue, and white; paint shows scuffs and losses. Two tiny turned cone pegs painted (one red with white bands, one pink/red banded) are set into the ring—likely color markers. No visible maker’s stamp, label, or monogram on stand or pieces. Surface: stand has a fairly glossy varnish; possible later re-finish. No wickets/hoops visible. Surrounding items in the same photo but unrelated to the set: two or three iron C-clamps at left, a coiled brown tape or strap, a wooden board behind, a group of thin wire forms with red painted metal bird shapes at right. Text: none visible anywhere. Condition cues: mallet tips worn, paint on balls abraded, minor nicks and dents on stand base edge; no major cracks evident from this angle.

Keywords

Victorian, Edwardian, parlor croquet, table croquet, wooden mallets, striped balls, game set, turned stand, England, antique toys and games

Report ID:  : fgrbf3

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