Court Artefacts: Gambling Items

Gambling remained one of the foremost pleasures of court life throughout the reigns of Louis XIV to Louis XVI. Everyone participated - even the religious Marie-Thérèse and the pious Marie Leszczynska found the pastime a great amusement. With gambling parties being a regular fixture of court life it is hardly surprising that the royal family had their personal gambling items.

Gambling purse of Marie Leszczynska bearing her coat of arms as queen. This would have been used to carry jetons with at gambling sessions. It is of red velvet and embroidered with golden thread, 1740.

This gambling purse is quite similar to that of Marie Leszczynska. They belonged to Madame Henriette (her daughter)

Silver jetons of Marie Antoinette

Belonged to Louis-Joseph-Xavier de France, Duc de Bourgogne

Jeton belonging to Marie-Josèphe of Saxony, 1720

A neatly preserved set with a table bearing the crest of Marie Antoinette as Dauphine

From the household of the Comte de Provence

And another one, this time the household of his brother, the Comte d'Artois

As can be seen this jeton was intended for the very popular game of lansquenet at Choisy, 1745