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# 7

And now for something completely different: Card-playing squirrels, French, around 1880.

These kinds of amusing display cases were popular during the second half of the 19th century. These cases contained objects of interest that also made great conversation pieces. The contents of the display cases varied but they often involved stuffed animals engaged in a human activity. These stuffed squirrels are playing cards with a French children’s deck, so it is a true example of secondary use of playing cards. I have bought this display case at an antique shop in London. A friend of mine was in Luxembourg and passed by a shop with new stuffed animals of all kind. In the shop window was a set of stuffed squirrels playing cards! So for some people it is still amusing today.

Gejus                                    

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