[ANONYMOUS].
[Untitled Set of Maps of the Departments of France]
Very scarce set of 89 map of the French departments, done up as cards, possibly for a game, although there is no rule book, and the cards have no suitmarks or other such distinguishing features for such a purpose.
The cards have no mention of author, engraver or publisher; the only guide to date is the note on the Pas de Calais card, ‘Le 25 mars 1815 la Maison du Roi et les Volontaires Royaux qui accompagnoient S.A.R. Monsieur et Mgr. le Duc de Berry entroient dans cette place [Bethune] lorsque des Lanciers et des Grenadiers Impériaux au nombre d’environ 500 parurent dans la plaine. Mgr. le Duc de Berry se porta seul à leur recontre, leur ordonna de retourner sur leurs pas et ils obéirent à ce Prince, leur Colonel général …’, a reference to the flight of the French king following the return of Napoleon from his exile on Elba, for his ill-fated reign of “a hundred days”.
