A table plan for a ceremonial meal, laid out neatly in ‘the Russian style’, as described by Aunt Marie, the authority on French cooking and kitchens. But Marie wasn’t a real person – she was made up by …

It might look like a fine setting for a grand dinner, but this is actually for playing a game. The aim is to slide large brass discs along the narrow bench – the winner is the one to get closest to the end without falling off. Like shuffleboard …