[The Game of Trades.]

U.S. CARD GAME. – W. & S.B. IVES (manufacturers).

[The Game of Trades. Salem, Mass.: 1845-1860]. 48 lithographed cards (each 3 3/8 x 2 ¼ins; 86 x 57mm.), 8 hand-coloured, plain light-cream glazed backs. Modern cloth slipcase (composed of contemporary materials)

A complete set and apparently rare, containing 8 pictorial trades, together with 5 associated cards for each suit. E.g. a hand-colored pictorial ‘Bricklayer’ card with an integral ‘trowel’ panel in the upper right, accompanied by four associated cards: ‘one-of-trowels’, ‘’two-of-trowels’, ‘three-of-trowels’, ‘four of trowels’, ‘five-of-trowels’. (see images). The other trades represented are: butcher, carpenter, farrier, painter, shoemaker, tailor, and taxgatherer.

It is very similar to the set in the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, manufactured by the firm established by William Ives (1794-1874) & Stephen Bradshaw Ives (1801-1884).

See V. & A. ‘Museum of Childhood’ collection (MISC.170-1983, nb the V&A set is in poor condition and is missing one card).