Jeu Buffon
Illustrations of different birds from works by Buffon to celebrate the bicentenary of his death.
Buffon (1707-1788) or, to give him his full name, Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon, was a French naturalist, mathematician, cosmologist, philosopher and author who held the position of intendant (director) at the Jardin du Roi, now called the Jardin des Plantes in Paris. He published 36 volumes of his Histoire Naturelle during his lifetime. His Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux was published between 1771 and 1786, comprising 10 volumes with more than 1,000 colour plates of birds. Sixteen of these illustrations have been used for the designs on the court cards and aces in this pack. Each is named twice in French. The number of indices on the court cards varies: some have one, some have two depending on the space available, but the two are not always of the same size. A rectangular frame completes the classy look of these cards. The accompanying leaflet provides further details about the birds in French and English.
Above: Jeu Buffon printed and published by France Cartes, Saint-Max, France, 1988. 52 cards + 2 Jokers + 1 title card + leaflet in French and English, in tuck box. Size: 63 x 88 mm.
By Roddy Somerville
Member since May 31, 2022
Roddy started collecting stamps on his 8th birthday. In 1977 he joined the newly formed playing-card department at Stanley Gibbons in London before setting up his own business in Edinburgh four years later. His collecting interests include playing cards, postcards, stamps (especially playing cards on stamps) and sugar wrappers. He is a Past President of the Scottish Philatelic Society, a former Chairman of the IPCS, a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards and Curator of the WCMPC’s collection of playing cards. He lives near Toulouse in France.
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