Grand Slam

This special set commemorates what is sometimes called America’s first Christmas present – when, on Christmas night 1776, General George Washington crossed the icy Delaware with 2,398 freezing men and destroyed Britain’s Hessian garrison at Trenton, New Jersey. The illustration on this presentation box shows the ill-prepared Hessian Commander, Colonel Johann Gottlieb Rall, in the battle which cost him his life. See the box►

The court cards of each pack show full-length historical figures in 18th century costume with vignette backgrounds sketched in sepia. Each person is named below, together with a quotation by or about them. One pack represents Americans, the other British. Italian artist Gino d’Achille was commissioned to produce the portraits.

slide 2 of 8

Above: 2 x 52 cards + 2 Jokers + 4 ashtrays and certificate in presentation box. Card size: 63 x 90 mm. According to John Berry, the Jokers show an 18th century actor (probably James Quin [1693-1766]) in costume as Falstaff holding masks of tragedy and comedy. The backs show Washington’s crest in gold on blue, and the British coat of arms in gold on red. The set was issued in a limited, numbered edition of 2,398 – one for every man who crossed the Delaware with Washington at Christmas 1776. See the certificate►

Beneath the two packs in the presentation box is a set of four ashtrays illustrated with the first four American Presidents. These were produced by the Bristol Pottery, founded in 1652.