Mechanical dice game encased in a pocket watch housing

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c. 1890 - 1930

Overview

Mechanical dice game encased in a pocket watch housing, featuring three miniature dice resting on a circular green felt surface under a glass cover.
It functions through a mechanical spring-and-lever system hidden inside the watch case. This mimics the action of shaking and rolling dice without the risk of losing them.
There is a lever on the right hand side of the watch case which can be depressed, causing compression of a small internal spring. Releasing the lever triggers the spring to rotate a concealed star wheel or central spindle. This movement rapidly spins or vibrates the internal green felt plate.
The miniature dice bounce off the walls and tumble across the surface, settling randomly on the flat surface as the motion stops.
The outer metal case has many dents and creases and also shows other signs of age including tarnishing. There is no maker's mark.

Historical information

Mechanical dice games such as this were popular around the turn of the 20th Century.
They had several advantages over traditional, full sized dice sets - portability, security and discretion. The pocket watch design allowed players to carry a gambling game easily in a vest pocket, while the glass cover kept the tiny dice fully enclosed so they could never be lost.It permitted quiet, low-profile gaming in public spaces where open gambling was discouraged.
Servicemen frequently played gambling games during World War One and World War Two to relieve boredom during long periods of downtime in the trenches and barracks. While these pocket dice shakers were private purchase rather than standard military issue, they were popular personal belongings among service members.
There are number of other items used for gambling in the collection including a trench art roulette wheel, a two-up paddle with pennies, and another dice game named Crown and Anchor.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-119-RoW01022

Item type

Accessories

Collectibles

Personal Effects

Themes

Leisure

Social History

War and Conflict > World War 1

Material