Seven scarce Italian playing cards depicting Russia
XVI Moscovia. [&] Nord I. Moscovia. [&] Nord 1. Moscovia Sett. contiene 6. [&] Nord 2. Moscovia Sett. contiene 6. [&] Nord 3. Moscovia Mer. contiene 6. [&] Nord 4. Moscovia Mer. contiene 8. [&] Nord 4. Moscovia Mer. ha 8.
Bologna: Tipografia de' Franceschi alla Colomba?, c.1790. Seven playing cards, one engraved, one woodcut and letterpress and five letterpress, each sheet 115 x 60mm, with red woodcut design on reverse.
£480.00
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Description
Seven playing cards representing Russia, including a miniature map of the country on a tromp l'oeil scroll, a description with a woodblock armorial and five 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 'North' (the other suits being 'Central' & '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.













