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Mapit

Published May 03, 2017 Updated December 17, 2021

“Mapit” war map card game published by Geographia Ltd, 55 Fleet Street, London E.C., c.1940s.

United Kingdom Geographia Ltd Geography Maps Wartime Card Games
“Mapit” war map card game published by Geographia Ltd, 55 Fleet Street, London E.C., c.1940s

“Mapit No 10 The Balkans and Eastern Europe” war map card game published by Geographia Ltd, 55 Fleet Street, London E.C. The date is certainly during the second World War, c.1940. It’s a kind of cross between a jig-saw and dominoes and is described on the box as “fascinating, educational & entertaining”. “Mapit” consists of 98 cards cut out from a war map which when placed together form a full map. The cards have been made by sticking a whole map to card and then cutting into game cards. See the Rules

“Mapit” war map card game published by Geographia Ltd, 55 Fleet Street, London E.C., c.1940s “Mapit” war map card game published by Geographia Ltd, 55 Fleet Street, London E.C., c.1940s

Above: “Mapit No 10 The Balkans and Eastern Europe” war map card game published by Geographia Ltd, 55 Fleet Street, London E.C. c.1940. 98 pieces.

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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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