Commonly asked questions and misunderstandings about antiques… and the odd or end fascinating bit!
If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it must be a duck… except when it comes to pool tables. As various outdoor ball games were brought inside from the 15th Century onwards, we have seen the rise of Skittles, Snooker, Billiards… and Bagatelle among others. Thought to have been invented (or at least named) at Le Chateau de Bagatelle, and believed to have evolved from the English “shovel board,” Bagatelle is a tabletop game where nine balls seek to land in depressions of various points. The games were typically fashioned as folding side tables, as seen in the child’s game shown here.
Antiques Snippets are provided by Jack Fritsch, proprietor of the Antiques Depot at 2 S. Beach Street (across from the Nantucket Yacht Club) NantucketAntiquesDepot.com .
