[Swiss Poets] “Jeu Des Poètes” Card Game By Delachaux & Nestlé c.1910-20

An interesting game produced by Delechaux & Nestlé complete with all 80 cards in the original (rather worn) card case. There are usually several cards for each (chiefly Swiss) poet, with the first verse or so for one of their poems together with their birth and death dates. Only one poet appears to have still had a pulse at the time of printing, Philippe Godet, who didn’t peg-out until 1922. The final date of death for the stiffs is 1908, so a date of printing would seem to be between 1910-20. Sadly the instructions are not present, whether they were printed and inserted inside, or printed on a label which seems to have been removed from the base of the box is unknown. We can only guess how the game would have proceeded, was it “Top Trumps” for poets? I’d like to think so.

Approx. 165x125mm., one card with corner tip loss (shame on you Marc Monnier), the box with original title label affixed though with heavy grime and some contemporary graffiti.