Gaming Counter with the Arms of Godfrey
Title
Description
This counter is among the oldest in the collection and was likely designed for Ombre — a Spanish card game that requires a steadfast approach.[1]
It was ordered by the Godfrey family of Kent, along with around four sets of Chinese armorial porcelain, between 1718 and 1728.[2]
Records do not indicate for whom this counter was made. This omission likely occurred because Peter Godfrey was highly involved in trade with Asia, serving as a Supercargo[3] in Canton prior to becoming Chief of Council of the East India Company in 1728.[4] Because he conducted a great deal of business in Canton and this was a personal acquisition, Godfrey probably did not carefully document this purchase.
This Godfrey counter displays the family’s coat of arms and crest. The motto, Corde Fixam, means “steadfast heart” in Latin — a helpful trait to have when playing Ombre.