Estimate
€ 10.000 - 12.000
Aggiudicato
Current bid Starting bid
€ 10.000
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At auction on Tuesday 24 June 2025 at 15:30
Information
Northern Italy, Lombardy-Veneto, first half of the 18th century. Extremely rare manuscript game by Cavagnole, composed of 12 cards (numbered from 1 to 240) illustrated in watercolour and mounted on thin cardboard (270x205 mm), preserved in a contemporary cardboard box. Some cards show slight signs of use, but overall the state of preservation is very good. On the spine each card is covered with beautiful paper decorated with coloured flowers.
Originating in Genoa, Cavagnole (also known as Biribi or Biribissi) spread in the French aristocratic salons starting in 1735, becoming particularly popular among the ladies of the court, such as Queen Maria Leszczynska. The game, gambling but simple, involved the random extraction of numbers to determine the winners among the participants, without a fixed banker.
This example, probably made around the mid-1700s, is decorated with miniatures depicting scenes of daily life, trades, regional costumes, animals, allegories, classical myths, etc. The cards, numbered and finely hand-painted, reflect the aesthetics and themes of the aristocratic taste of the 18th century. An exceptionally rare object, of great historical and artistic value.
Specialist Notes
Cavagnola is the most distant ancestor of the modern tombola, a precious document of aristocratic entertainment, widespread in Italy from the mid-eighteenth century. It is very rare to find an example like ours, due to its completeness and excellent preservation.
Contact
Condition report
To request a Condition Report, please contact libriestampe@finarte.it
The department will provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Please note that what Finarte declares with respect to the state of conservation of the objects corresponds only to a qualified opinion and that we are not professional conservators or restorers.
We urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. We always suggest prospective buyers to inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition during the exhibition days as indicated in the catalog.
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