Skip to main content

Four scarce Italian playing cards depicting Poland

VIII Polonia. [&] Centro III. Polonia. [&] Centro 6. Polonia.[&] Centro 7. Polonia contiene 10.
Bologna: Tipografia de' Franceschi alla Colomba?, c.1790. Four playing cards, one engraved, one woodcut and letterpress and two letterpress, each sheet 115 x 60mm, with red woodcut design on reverse.
Stock #:  24241

£850.00

1 in stock

Add to Wishlist
Add to Wishlist
Export as PDFEnquireSimilar to Sell?

Description

Three playing cards representing Poland, including a miniature map of the country on a tromp l'oeil scroll, a description with a woodblock armorial and two with lists of regional capital cities. They are from a 78-card geographical game pack which was played with the same rules as tarocchi (tarot). The map is one of the 21 map trump cards; the three others are from the suit 'Central' (the other suits being 'North' & 'South' Europe & 'Islands'), the card with the armorial being a court card. The woodcut pattern on the back of the card is a red flower design with the address 'Alla Colomba' (At the Dove). This was the address of Tipografia de' Franceschi in Bologna from the 1790s until at least 1860.

Condition:

Slightly trimmed, as issued; 'Centro 7' with stain and damage to woodcut reverse.

Join Our Mailing List

Sign up to our newsletter to be the first to hear about new arrivals, upcoming events, and our latest catalogues.

"*" indicates required fields