Skip to content
History of Science Museum

Packet of Didactic Cards Entitled 'The Elements of Astronomy and Geography ...' by the Abbé Paris, Published by John Wallis, London, 1795

Inventory Number 11694


Item type
Object
Provenance
Presented by Mrs J. Lightfoot in 1928
Primary inscriptions
Printed label on box: 'The Elements of Astronomy and Geography Explained on 40 Cards, beautifully Engraved and Coloured By the Abbé Paris. [picture] Published July 15th. 1795, by John Wallis, No. 16, Ludgate Street, London.'; the box is also labelled in contemporary manuscript 'No. 28' and marked '3.0/' [?=£3].
Other inscriptions
R. T. Gunther's provenance inscription & note
Dimensions
Height: 95mm Width: 66mm Depth: 20mm
Inventory No
11694

Description

Set of didactic cards in original card packet or box, labelled as quoted; the cards are printed and hand-coloured, with text on the reverse; a pink linen tape is inside the box. 39 out of the set of 40 are present (no.35 being missing). The illustrations are mostly diagrammatic, though no.1 depicts an armillary sphere and no.2 a map of the world in two hemispheres (west and east); no.23 has moving parts. (Note that they are not playing cards.)