RARE and Unique - Antique French Jeu de Course | Working Mechanical Horse Racing Game with Box, Lid & Nameplates

A day at the races, in a fifteen-inch box.

I'll be honest... there was almost a fight for this at a market.  But here it is!  

Slide the lever and they’re off. Tiny painted horses and jockeys race around a scarlet track, past silver-toned rails and miniature chain fencing. Look closely and you’ll find the horses have names. Sheridan and Nelumbo are among the names still legible on the little numbered plaques around the course.

Made in France around the turn of the 20th century, this Jeu de Course brings the spectacle of the racecourse to a tabletop. The mechanism was tested and still runs. The box and lid are both present, along with the decorative nameplates that give this particular game so much personality.

It’s an unusual gift for someone who follows the races, collects antique mechanical games, or would love a piece of French sporting history for their library. Lift the lid and there’s an entire miniature racecourse inside.

Details

• French mechanical tabletop horse racing game, circa 1890

• Painted horses and jockey figures, green cloth playing surface, and red circular track

• Numbered metal nameplates and decorative Jeu de Course lever plate

• Box and lid included

• Box measures approximately 15 × 15 × 6½ inches

• Antique collectible for adult display and occasional demonstration

• Ships free and insured.

Condition

The mechanism operated when tested. The box and lid show fading, water staining, and wear along the edges and corners. There are areas of cloth loss, chipped paint, and oxidation on the chain fencing. The jockey figure on horse No. 4 shows visible loss of the jockey (I guess the horse threw him off). Remarkably this is in much better condition that the few others I have seen.  Please enlarge the original photographs to see the figures, fittings, cloth, and box condition in detail.  Email with any questions.