Animal Card

Q Does anyone have any suggestions as to what this charming small card was used for? Size: 63 x 90mm (2½ x 3½in).

A I supect that this is one of a set of educational children’s card games. Either to teach the names of the animals, or possibly there was a card for each letter of the alphabet.

There is a similar type of card in the collection of the Norfolk Museums Service. The cards are virtually the same size (63 x 93 mm) and are hand coloured engravings. It is suggested that they date from around 1770 and the only difference seems to be that the Norfolk cards have verses about the animals instead of a paragraph of text.

Malcolm Shifrin

Queries 2003/4

Fairy of the Flowers
19th Century Crests
United We Stand
Hotel Discs
Reach for the Stars
Father Christmas
To Captivate a Heart
On The Stones
Animal Card
Punch’s Pocket Book
Piano Notes
Chromo Portrait Gallery
Engraved Labels
The Owl of Wisdom

Query Archive

2005/6
2007

This regular feature invites answers by email to members’ questions on an item of ephemera.

Queries from members by email should include a scan of the item, if appropriate.