VICTORIAN ALICE IN WONDERLAND PICTORIAL CARDS DE LA RUE

VINTAGE BOXED VICTORIAN ALICE IN WONDERLAND CARD GAME

This rare boxed Alice in Wonderland card game is described as follows on the box: '(By special arrangement with Messrs. Macmillan & Co., the publisher's of Lewis Carroll's celebrated work.) The new and diverting game of "Alice in Wonderland", consisting of forty-eight pictorial cards, adapted, drawn in fac-simile, and elaborately rendered in colours, from Sir John Tenniel's original designs, by Miss E. Gertrude Thomson. Thos. de la Rue & Co. Ltd., London.' All 48 cards are present and in very good condition. The edges of the cards are a little grubby, but none of the cards are creased or torn. The cards appear to have been lightly used. The original instructions are present, but are split at the hinge and are now in two pieces.

The opening paragraph of the instructions gives an idea on how the game is played: 'The pack consists of forty-eight cards, viz., sixteen sets of three cards each, all three bearing the same number. One card in each set is a Leading card, and shows on its face the titles of the other two cards, "Alice swimming in her own tears" tells you to find the card with "Mouse" and the card with "Crab", which complete that set.'

I am unsure of the exact date of the set, but the wording on the side edge of the sleeve box, which states 'Manufacturers to Her Majesty Thos. de la Rue & Co., Ltd 110, Bunhill Row, London.' dates them to pre-1901. The box is pink in colour with dark pink / red writing and has a pictorial card stuck on the back. This card is 15 'The Queen in Court'. The box is overall grubby (especially the card on the back) and is quite worn. There are tears and losses to the bottom of both side panels of the top sleeve. The bottom panel of the bottom sleeve is creased and has a tear in one of the side panels.

Please refer to photographs below.

The approx. measurements are as follows:

Card - 9cm by 6.2cm

Box - 10cm by 7cm by 2.5cm

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