{"product_id":"three-early-edition-c-1843-hand-colored-wood-engraved-dr-busby-cards-first-known-american-card-game","title":"Three Early Edition c. 1843 Hand-colored, Wood Engraved Dr. Busby Cards, First Known American Card Game","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThere are only three cards here, but they are special ones, from a very early edition of the first known American card game, The Game of Dr. Busby, a matching\/memory game designed by the Beverly, MA-born writer Anne W. Abbott and published in Salem by W. \u0026amp; S.B. Ives in 1843--which is credited with having started the game craze in the U.S. The earliest editions of the game featured  cards illustrated with hand-colored wood engravings, as here, with 20 cards divided into four suits, or families, the s\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003euits indicated by small symbols in the upper-right corners, including a mortar and pestle (as seen on the card at left here, indicating the \"Busby Family”) and a pan of milk (as seen on both middle and right cards here) for the  “Doll” family. Of course I wish I had a full deck, very precious, but I'm glad for this trio, both as lovely things in and of themselves, and for what they represent in the history of American games. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSet of three cards. Each 3 5\/8\" x 2 5\/8\". Soiling and toning as evident, as shown. No creases or losses. And with pencil drawn numbers at the center or upper right corners, which is nice.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"critical EYE Finds","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47705353814270,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0015\/5022\/1382\/files\/IMG_1866.png?v=1768516394","url":"https:\/\/www.criticaleyefinds.com\/products\/three-early-edition-c-1843-hand-colored-wood-engraved-dr-busby-cards-first-known-american-card-game","provider":"critical EYE Finds","version":"1.0","type":"link"}