Court Game of Geography,

deck of 52 engraved playing cards (12 human figures and 40 maps) within single ruled borders, partly hand-coloured, plain versos; some a little close trimmed, variously a little toned with the odd handling mark but generally very clean, each card 97 x 65 mm, with near-contemporary neat manuscript instruction booklet (pp. [24] and some blanks), pages sewn and bound in limp wrappers of patterned paper, cards and booklet within original textured maroon leather case with flap, gilt-lettered, very good. A geopolitical card game for five to six players: 'the useful science of geography combined with pleasing and elegant amusement'. The suits represent different continents - via maps of varying detail - each with three 'court cards' depicting a single ruler or sovereign from the royal courts of England, Russia, France, China, Persia, Mysore, Egypt, Algiers, Morocco, USA, Canada and Mexico. In addition to cartographic geography, the game aims to impart a subjective ranking of continents and nations, placing Britain at the apex of an imagined hierarchy of world powers: 'so by remembering that Spain is painted as the six of hearts, the player is reminded that Spain is in Europe and of importance among European nations [.] being only inferior to the British Isles (the ten), Russia in Europe (the nine), France (the eight), and Austria (the seven). First produced by Charles Hodges in 1827 and reissued in the 1830s by William and Henry Rock. Uncommon in all forms. (Berry 232).…