The Historiscope: A Panorama & History of America
Springfield, MA: Milton Bradley and Co., c. 1875. A charming color lithograph panorama of America's history, from Columbus's discovery of the New World to The American Revoluton. Decorative cardboard box, with cut, theatrical window (or proscenium) and magnificent pictorial details along the borders. The box features a long, multi-paneled horizontal strip on 2 rollers, revealing a series of views of key moments in American history. The original cranks (or dials) which spin the rollers are missing but the rollers can still fairly easily be manipulated by hand. 16 lithographed scenes, following a general chronological order, with a heavy focus on battles and treaties with the Native Americans, graduating to the Revolutionary War and, ultimately, to the British surrender. The final lithograph does have some tears but the other 15 are uniformly bright and crips, with occasional light creasing here and there. Of Milton Bradley's original box which houses "The Historiscope", we have the bottom of the box (its base) but not the top. A wonderful take on early American history as seen through the eyes of a child, very fragile and scarce. (Margaret K. Hofer, "The Games We Played: The Golden Age of Board and Table Games"). Very Good. Item #17725
Price: $2,500.00