For your consideration is the Educational Card Game WHITE SQUADRON published in 1903 by the CINCINNATI GAME COMPANY (# 1108).  While the copyright date on the cover and on the directions card is 1896, the Cincinnati Game Company was not formed until 1900.  Starting in 1898, the United States Playing Card Company (parent company of both the Fireside Game Company and its successor The Cincinnati Game Company) began using date codes on some of their decks.  The code F-177 that appears on card A-1 indicates that the deck was printed in 1903.

The naval vessels included in the deck are:

A: Louisiana, Virginia, Mississippi, Ohio

B: Missouri, Maine, Alabama, Illinois

C: Wisconsin, Kentucky, Kearsage, Iowa

D: Indiana, Massachusetts, Oregon, Texas

E: Tennessee, California, Pennsylvania, Brooklyn

F: New York, Minneapolis, Columbia, Olympia

G: Puritan, Chicago, Buffalo, Baltimore

H: Philadelphia, San Francisco, Monterey, Amphitrite

I:  Terror, Cincinnati, Detroit, New Orleans

J: Marblehead, Montgomery, Bennington, Dolphin

K: Ericsson, Cushing, Porter, Du Pont

L: Mackenzie, Gwin, Winslow, Chauncey

M: Decatur, Bailey, Wilkes, Plunger


The game is complete with all 52 cards (4 cards each in 13 suits, A-M), and a Directions for Playing card that is pasted down inside the box cover.  Also included is an advertising card listing "New Games."  The cards measure 2-1/2 inches by 3-1/2 inches.  

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.  I have listed all of the Fireside Games and am now listing the Cincinnati Game Company games. 

CONDITION: Complete with 52 cards,  all of which, except two, are in very good condition: very gently rubbed and very lightly soiled.  See the close-ups of the two cards that show signs of use: the Kentucky and the Dolphin.  The Directions for Playing card is pasted down inside the box cover; it is lightly oiled.  Also included are three advertising cards of "New School Games" and "Educational Home Games" (two-sided) and ":What School Men Say" testimonials.  The box top is missing one long apron; the two remaining corners are glued.  The box bottom is intact with no signs of repair.  The cover is rubbed and soiled.    PLEASE MOUSE OVER THE PHOTOGRAPHS FOR CONDITION DETAILS.