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Bible Game

Published May 26, 2015 Updated June 06, 2022

“Fireside Bible Game” (No.1124) published by The Fireside Game Co., Cincinnati, USA, 1899.

1899 USA Fireside Game Co. United States Playing Card Co. Biblical Card Games Quartet

The Fireside Bible Game contains 52 scenes from the Bible artistically rendered by celebrated master painters, giving a brief synopsis of the life of Jesus Christ. The game is designed to instruct and elevate young minds, and is of great assistance in New Testament study. See the Instructions

Above: the “Fireside Bible Game” (No.1124) published by The Fireside Game Co., Cincinnati, USA, 1899. Images courtesy Rex Pitts.

“Fireside Bible Game” (No.1124) published by The Fireside Game Co., Cincinnati, USA, 1899
“Fireside Bible Game” (No.1124) published by The Fireside Game Co., Cincinnati, USA, 1899

Game of Artists, No.1117

Another game published by The Fireside Game Co. is Game of Artists, copyrighted in 1897 and listed as No.1117 in the series. See an excerpt from the Rules

Game of Artists, No.1117

Above: Game of Artists, No.1117, 52 cards + rules, published in 1898. Image and research courtesy Touya Yabuhashi.

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By Rex Pitts (1940-2021)

Member since January 30, 2009

Rex's main interest was in card games, because, he said, they were cheap and easy to get hold of in his early days of collecting. He is well known for his extensive knowledge of Pepys games and his book is on the bookshelves of many.

His other interest was non-standard playing cards. He also had collections of sheet music, music CDs, models of London buses, London Transport timetables and maps and other objects that intrigued him.

Rex had a chequered career at school. He was expelled twice, on one occasion for smoking! Despite this he trained as a radio engineer and worked for the BBC in the World Service.

Later he moved into sales and worked for a firm that made all kinds of packaging, a job he enjoyed until his retirement. He became an expert on boxes and would always investigate those that held his cards. He could always recognize a box made for Pepys, which were the same as those of Alf Cooke’s Universal Playing Card Company, who printed the card games. This interest changed into an ability to make and mend boxes, which he did with great dexterity. He loved this kind of handicraft work.

His dexterity of hand and eye soon led to his making card games of his own design. He spent hours and hours carefully cutting them out and colouring them by hand.


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