Gambling, SOHO, Argyle Rooms, uniface lead, argyle rooms, 37mm, 16.72g (W 1587, and p.219, this piece illustrated; Young, Entertainments, p.20, this piece illustrated; D & W 64/151a; cf. DNW 127, 3089). Very fine and very rare; pierced for suspension £70-90

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Tickets and Passes of London from the David Young Collection.

View
Collection

Provenance: Bt T. Barrett October 2006.

The Argyle Rooms was an evening club in Windmill street where prostitutes congregated to be hired by the wealthy. It was frequented by those who saw themselves, and were seen by others, as respectable gentlemen. The establishment was closed for a brief period in the 1860s, but re-opened when the authorities recognised the prostitutes that plied their trade there simply moved to the streets. The club was finally closed in 1878 and re-opened as the Trocadero Music Hall in 1882