Set of Eight 1830s British Hand-colored Woodblock Riddle Cards

Regular price $160.00

I love a riddle and thought (think) these riddle cards are just terrific looking, c. 1830s British, woodblock printed with hand-painted watercolor--eight from what I believe was originally a set of twelve, extremely rare. Of course I am not smart enough to solve them, but surely there is someone out there who can! It seems to me there are several layers of clues in each--the imagery itself pointing to a solution, and the text doing it another way. (For example, the green painted witch with her cat points like a rebus to the answer "Greenwich" (one of just a couple of solutions written on the back, helping me piece it together!) while the text gets there in other ways (Greenwich was an ancient parish in Kent, a popular resort in the18th c, etc.)  I am especially fond of the bishops with jar of pickles overhead, and that deer with fish, but haven't solved them! Great imagery, wonderful color, and highly doubtful one will come across another set of these!

Each card measures approx 3 5/8" x 3", laid paper with woodblock and watercolor. The cards are numbered at upper right--these 8 are numbered 1,3,4,6,7,10,11 & 12. Very good antique condition, no tears or damage, just general wear and age. Plain backs with a few handwritten notes, as documented.