Boxed Set of Three Early Chromolithographed Puzzles
France? s.i., 1836. Very Good. Item #48689
France?: s.i., ca. 1836. Collection of three twenty-eight piece puzzles (15.x25.5cm), card and ribbon dividers present, housed in original lidded box lined with arsenic green and pink patterned paper, upper cover mounted with unique chromolithographed illustration not repeated on any of the puzzles with bronze embossed paper border. Box a bit worn with some loss of the paper border and rubbing and bubbling to image. Contents in excellent, Near Fine condition. Date and location based on gift inscription on bottom of box, "Jeu de patience offert a Justine [?] Janvier 1836."
Gorgeous collection of three early chromolithographed puzzles printed in gilt, dark greens, purples, reds, and pinks. The patent for the processing of multi-colored printing was not awarded until 1837, to Godefroy Engelmann, though these examples appear to employ a process more similar to that used with playing cards. Quite possibly these were in fact produced by a playing card manufacturer, the heavy use of gilt reminiscent of contemporaneous packs produced by Dieudonné Jeune or Alphone Arnoult.
Price: $3,000.00