A RARE JAQUES PRIZE MEDAL CROQUET SET
Circa 1860-1880
With eight mallets, stamped JAQUES LONDON, with painted shafts, eight balls with remains of paint, ten green hoops, six circular hoops, and a hinged hoop with hook, start and finish posts and scoring abacus, six gilt-brass disc clips embossed 'JAQUES PATENT' pine box with metal label 'Jaques & Son, London', and ink stencil to the front 'JAQUES'S PRIZE MEDAL CROQUET', with carrying handles
| Estimate: | £1,000 - £1,500 |
The ‘Prize Medal’ printed on the low, flat-shaped box of this croquet set refers to the two gold medals awarded to Jaques of London in 1851, recognizing their achievements at the Great Exhibition, specifically for their introduction of the innovative game of croquet, which was promoted at the Crystal Palace in Hyde Park. The game itself was first conceived around 1840 by John Jaques.
Uniquely, this set retains all eight original mallets and balls, along with its metal hoops. Most notably, it includes a rare pair of joined hoops with hooks—designed to hold a bell, serving as the finishing hoop - each player aiming to ring the bell or to be the first to do so. The metal rounded spiked hoops functioned as ball markers for periods of interrupted play. Finally, the gilt-metal clips are rarely found completing the set; apparently designed to symbolise the gold medals awarded to Jaques.