Three Early Edition c. 1843 Hand-colored, Wood Engraved Dr. Busby Cards, First Known American Card Game antique spinner with smooth

with smooth

and I think is pretty terrific

One of two found together—“laurel and ferns” listed separately

The card shows some staining at upper right

and I believe produced by Grimaud sometime between 1855-1875

Three Early Edition c. 1843 Hand-colored, Wood Engraved Dr. Busby Cards, First Known American Card Game antique spinner with smoothThere 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. & 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