Parker Brothers published several editions of “Authors” over the years. This one is a “nickel edition”: undated, but probably from around 1900. It’s a small deck, with only 21 cards, and a simple design in black and white. In addition to Oliver Wendell Holmes, shown for some reason in profile, the pantheon contains Tennyson, Cooper, Howells, Longfellow, Scott, and Hawthorne. The box shows a pleasant gentleman catching up on his reading, although he does seem to be holding the book at an odd angle.

(Posted by Doug Skinner)