Croquet box
F. H. Ayres
Category
Sports equipment, games and pastimes
Date
Unknown
Materials
Wood, metal and textile
Measurements
270 x 1010 x 277 mm
Place of origin
London
Order this imageCollection
Dunham Massey, Cheshire
NT 937264.1
Summary
Rectangular wooden croquet box, part of a croquet set "The Wimbledon" by F.H. Ayres Ltd. The box has black print on the front and two rings which would have had hooks on the lid hooking through them to fasten the box closed. These are now missing (though one is probably the loose hook in box DUN/TOY/256b). There is a metal drop handle at either end of the box and each end is also stamped '7A' in black. The lid is hinged and is chained to the box to prevent it dropping too far back when open. There are also textile tapes secured inside the lid as well as a paper label with black print giving directions for storing the equipment. Two pieces of the compartmentation have come adrift and are now loose in the box.
Provenance
Stamford collection; devised to the National Trust by Roger Grey, 10th Earl of Stamford (1896-1976).
Marks and inscriptions
The "Wimbledon" / F.H.AYRES LTD. (printed on front of box in black); 7A (printed on either end of the box in black)
Makers and roles
F. H. Ayres , manufacturer