For your consideration is the antique Card Game IN DIXIE-LAND copyrighted in 1897 by the FIRESIDE GAME CO. (# 1118) and printed in 1898.  The print date is indicated by the "A55" on the Crown Card; beginning in 1898 the United States Playing Card Company began using letters to show the date of printing, with "A" meaning 1898.  The game is complete with 53 cards: 52 cards with 4 cards in 13 suits, A-M, and the Crown Card.  The Directions for Playing the Game is pasted down inside the box cover, an advertising card of Educational Games, and the original box.  The cards measure 2-1/2 inches by 3-1/2 inches.  

Twenty-six of the cards in the deck state "Copyright, '96 L.D. Baldwin."  L. D. Baldwin operated a photographic studio in Richmond, Virginia in the late nineteenth century and was known for portraits of African-Americans.  The remaining cards, including the Crown Card, are uncredited.  While known for his studio portraits, it appears that he also created a documentary-style series of photographs depicting African-Americans in everyday occupations and rural life. 

The box bottom bears the label of Schwerdtmann's, referring to the Schwerdtmann Toy Company, a prominent late 19th and early 20th-century toy wholesaler based in St. Louis, Missouri.

For about five decades I have been collecting the educational games produced by The Fireside Game Company of Cincinnati, Ohio their successor company, The Cincinnati Game Company, their parent company The United States Playing Card Company, and the re-issues of the games by Parker Brothers.  I have amassed a near complete set of these games (including some of the rarest) and, over the coming weeks, will be selling the entire collection, starting with the earliest.

CONDITION: Complete with 53 cards, Directions for Playing card (pasted down inside box cover), an advertising card, and original box.  The cards are in fair to good condition but, PLEASE NOTE that the A-1 card, "The Crossing Sweeper" was torn and then inexpertly repaired with tape (see close-ups of the front and back).  The rest of the cards are rubbed and soiled. The Crown Card and the Directions card are lightly soiled.  The blue box cover  with gold lettering is rubbed and lightly soiled.  The corners of the box top and box bottom are taped.  One long edge on the cover is missing its blue covering and has a split. PLEASE MOUSE OVER THE PHOTOGRAPHS FOR CONDITION DETAILS.