A Regency whitewood painted  Pope Joan board  game with bone counters.
This is an early 1800s Pope Joan game.
Interestingly on the underside of the central lid i are the  handwrittennames of the sections, maybe wtitten when it was made as a guide for the person decorating it.
The  game is named after  a young woman who disguised herself as a man and entered into religious training. After distinguishing herself as a scholar, she rose through the church ranks and was elected Pope John VIII in the year 855. 
  It consists of a circular painted whitewood board with eight compartments and a circular central compartment. Around the outside of the board there are various names corresponding to the compartments, Matrimony, Intrigue, Game, Nine of diamonds which is the Pope,, Queen, king and Jack of diamonds. There is a central compartment to store a number of bone counters. ( more counters maybe needed depending on the number of players, coins or matches can be used).
The game is played with a pack of  ordinary cards.
A copy of the rules can be supplied, but the game is similar to Newmarket where you have to follow in sequence and suit from the lowest card up, gaining counters if you have particular cards.
It measures 26cm w x 7cm h at the edge of the board.
 
C1810/20