Four scarce Italian playing cards depicting Scotland

Anonymous.

XI. Scozia. [&] Isole 1. Scozia Nell' Oceano al Norde dell'Inghilterra. [&] Isole 4. Nell Oceano al Nord della Scozia. [&] Isole 5. Nell' Oceano All' ouest della Scozia, all' ouest della Inngilterra.
Bologna: Tipografia de' Franceschi alla Colomba?, c.1790. Four playing cards, one engraved, the others letterpress, each sheet 115 x 60mm, with red woodcut design on reverse.

Slightly trimmed, as issued.

Four playing cards representing Scotland, including a miniature map of the country on a tromp l'oeil scroll and three letterpress cards listing the provinces and islands.
They are from a 78-card geographical game pack which was played with the same rules as tarocchi (tarot). The map was one of the 21 trump cards; the others were from the suit 'Islands' (the other suits being 'North', 'South' & 'Central' Europe).
The woodcut pattern on the back of the card is a red flower design with the address 'Alla Colomba' (At the Dove). This was the address of Tipografia de' Franceschi in Bologna from the 1790s until at least 1860.

KING: Miniature maps, p.179, Scotland map illustrated.
Stock ID : 24234