Antique C.1890 B Dondorf No. 207 Four Continents Playing Cards Complete Boxed For Sale

Title: Antique B. Dondorf No. 207 Vier Erdteile Four Continents Luxury Playing Cards - 52/52 Complete with Original Box and Acrylic Case

This is a magnificent, highly collectible piece of 19th-century printing history: a complete 52-card deck of No. 207 \"Vier Erdteile\" (Four Continents) Luxus-Spielkarten, manufactured by the world-renowned firm B. Dondorf in Frankfurt, Germany.

Designed by the historic German painter and illustrator Friedrich Karl Hausmann, this deck stands as a masterpiece of antique chromolithography. Each suit beautifully represents a different global region through its court figures and scenic aces: Europe (Clubs/Diamonds), Asia (Spades), Africa (Clubs), and America (Diamonds).

Item Details and Identification:

• Manufacturer: B. Dondorf (Frankfurt am Main, Germany)

• Era: Circa 1880-1906 (Features the early \"B. Dondorf Francfort\" manufacturer text)

• Catalog Number: No. 207 (Clearly stamped on the narrow edges of the box)

• Card Count: 52/52 Complete

• Card Backs: Exquisite symmetrical Art Nouveau floral pattern featuring the iconic \"BD\" monogram in a sepia-pink tone.

• The Deck: The cards are clean with vibrant, crisp color printing. 51 of the cards feature factory-rounded corners consistent with Dondorf\'s later print runs of this edition.

• The Replacement Card: The Queen of Spades is an authentic, period-accurate Dondorf replacement card sourced during the deck\'s lifetime. It features traditional square corners and a slightly deeper pink hue on its reverse side, originating from an earlier print batch of the exact same No. 207 artwork series.

• The Original Box and Protective Display Case: As is common with paperboard wrappers of this age, the original box is fragile and falling apart due to natural age-wear. However, the graphics are highly readable, and the crucial \"No. 207\" stamp is perfectly clear on the edges. To preserve and display this historical piece safely, the original box will be packaged and shipped safely inside a clear acrylic display box which is included with your purchase.

• Edges: Original plain/ungilded edges showing natural antique patina. The corners have a noticeably darker variant shade due to historic handling and the natural aging of the paper stock over the past century.