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Bouillotte: Word of the Week

Ever wonder whether it's a Rococo or Regence? Louis XV or Louis Philippe? A Bergere or Fauteuil? Each week, we will highlight a word, term, or phrase to help identify antique furniture, periods, and styles.

BOUILLOTTE

bouil·lotte [boo-yot]
noun [boo-yot]
1. an 18th century gambling card game that was so popular in France that a special table was created for play. Based on Brelan, it is regarded as one of the games that influenced open-card stud variation in poker.
Origin: < French bouillotte card game, equivalent to bouill (ir) to boil + -otte noun suffix


An elegant Parisian gathering comes alive in Jean François Bosio’s 1798 depiction of “La Bouillotte,” capturing the social buzz, flirtations, and intensity of the popular 18th-century card game. 
 

The Game

The gambling game Bouillotte was introduced in the 18th century, during the French Revolution, as a regulated form of a popular card game known as Brelan — a game the French had been playing since the 1600s. The standard game featured four players using a piquet pack (20-card deck) — made by removing the sevens, tens, and jacks. Cards in each suit ranked from high to low: A-K-Q-9-8.

 

The best hand was a brelan carré (four of a kind made with the aid of a turned card), followed by a simple brelan (three of a kind). If no one had either, the winning hand was determined by the highest card in the suit of any player who had not folded. (See full rules here.)

 


This early 19th-century French print portrays a stylish card party in full swing, with a bouillotte table at the center — proof that good company and a well-placed lamp were just as important as the game itself.
 

From Drawing Room to Design Icon

Said to be one of the forerunners of poker, bouillotte became so fashionable during the reign of Louis XVI that it spilled out of the gaming halls and into the design world. Elegant drawing rooms and card salons were furnished to suit the pastime, and soon both tables and lamps bore the game’s name.

 

While neither was necessary to play, they were created specifically to enhance the experience — making bouillotte as much a style statement as a game.

 

The Bouillotte Table

Typically crafted in the Louis XVI neoclassical style, bouillotte tables were small, round, and often made of mahogany. Their marble tops were encircled by a pierced brass or bronze gallery, allowing a felt cover (bouchon) to fit snugly over the surface during play.

 

The frieze below the marble usually featured two drawers and two tirettes (pull-out slides for extra playing space). Chips served as wagers, and the gallery kept them — along with the cards — from sliding off mid-game.

 

When not in use for bouillotte, the felt cover was removed to reveal the marble top, allowing the table to double as a stylish side table or server.


Created for the fashionable card game, the bouillotte table features a marble top, brass gallery, pull-out “tirettes,” and drawers for cards and chips — all designed to keep the game stylish and orderly.
 

Bouillotte Today

Beloved for its versatility and elegance, the bouillotte table remains a classic. Its refined proportions and timeless design allow it to blend beautifully into both traditional and modern interiors — functioning perfectly as an end table, side table, or decorative accent.

 

How would you style yours? We’d love to know.

 

Á Bientôt!

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Mimi Montgomery

When this self-described Francophile is not reading or writing about all things French, she's dreaming up charming new ways to showcase Lolo French Antiques et More or traveling to France with Lolo to buy delightful treasures for their store. Mimi, Lolo, and their French Bulldog, Duke, live in Birmingham, AL.

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