Three Early Edition c. 1843 Hand-colored, Wood Engraved Dr. Busby Cards, First Known American Card Game antique spinner and I think pretty special

and I think pretty special

and I believe produced by Grimaud sometime between 1855-1875

The card shows some staining at upper right

The lid opens with just a little pressure

Three Early Edition c. 1843 Hand-colored, Wood Engraved Dr. Busby Cards, First Known American Card Game antique spinner and I think pretty specialThere 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