Wessmann Game Counter, U.S. Patent Office Model
date: label: date made
content: 1878
name: label: patentee
content: Wessmann, Charles B.
label: maker
content: Wessmann, Charles B.
notes: label: Description
content: This U.S. patent model for a board for keeping score in the game of cribbage has a wooden base, with six small brass plates attached along each of the sides. Each plate has two rows of five holes. These two sets of sixty holes are used for keeping score in a single game between two players.
label: Description
content: At each end of the base is a smaller plate with four holes. These holes might be used in keeping track of game points in a match of five games. Four brass pins that fit in the holes in the plates are stored behind the brass plates at each end of the base.
label: Description
content: At the center are two discs, which represent the patented part of the board. One is numbered clockwise from 0 to 9, the other is numbered counterclockwise. Both rotate counterclockwise. A brass pointer reaches across both discs to point to a digit on each one. The discs are used to keep track of games won. One is probably mounted incorrectly.
label: Description
content: Charles B. Wessmann of Newbridge, N.J., patented the invention. U.S. Census records do not list someone by that name living in New Jersey near the time of the patent. There was a Charles B. Wessmann (1843-1888) who was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., lived there for much of his life, and worked as a brass finisher. He committed suicide May 31, 1888. Whether this is the same Charles B. Wessmann who took out the patent is unclear.
label: Description
content: References:
label: Description
content: Charles B. Wessmann, “Improvement in Game-Counters,” U.S. Patent 204404, May 28, 1878. The patent shows both number wheels mounted with digits increasing clockwise.
label: Description
content: <I>New York Times</I>, June 1, 1888, p. 1.
label: Description
content: U.S. Census records for 1880.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: New Jersey, New Bridge
label: place patented
content: United States: New Jersey, New Bridge
topic: label: Subject
content: Games
label: Subject
content: Mathematics
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Mathematics
label: See more items in
content: Counters
label: See more items in
content: Science & Mathematics
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: MA.309333
label: accession number
content: 89797
label: catalog number
content: 309333
objectType: label: Object Name
content: game counter
label: Object Type
content: Patent Model
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: wood (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: brass (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 3 cm x 30 cm x 8.5 cm; 1 3/16 in x 11 13/16 in x 3 11/32 in