Oh my, I love every single thing about this, and the person who made it, who much has been both serious about cards and a great deal of fun to play with! A little research tells me that 500 is a trump taking game related to euchre and bridge, and was most popular in the U.S from the turn of the century until the 1920s. Both the head and the tail on this great black cat move, the tip of the tail to indicate the trump suit and the left ear to point to the number of tricks a team plans to take! Definitely this wonderful thing (itself a bit of a pun, as the deal of a hand is also known as a kitty) is incentive to learn how to play the game, but of course also great just set on a shelf--I'd say with the tail set either to the heart or to the top position! Really fabulous.
6 1/4" long x 5 1/4" tall x 1 1/2" deep and in very good condition, with the tail and head both turning easily (via flathead screws, which can be loosened or tightened on the backside as needed) and a fantastic patina. A little pain loss around the edges of the tail and a few minor dings here and there, all to the good.
