Geographic Card Set
In 1856, a hot new item hit the shelves in Russia: a set of playing cards. Created by Konstantin Matveevich Gribanov, the set had an impressive title:
Album of Geographical Playing Cards of Russia, arranged on 80 cards according to maritime basin (A wonderful and instructive child's game of patience)
As you can imagine, these were not your ordinary playing cards. They were elaborately illustrated, beautifully-produced, and laden with pedagogical and ideological value. If you had money to spare and fancied yourself an educated, elite, or prestige-hungry subject of the tsar, you no doubt found a way to get your hands on a set.
We think you should play with these cards. We think the chances are good that you will learn as much from them as we have.
You don't read Russian? No problem, we have translated the content.
You don't know where any of these places are? No problem, we made maps.
You don't know what questions to ask? No problem, we took care of that, too.
(And come back here anytime to access the images via a dynamic, high-resolution viewer.)
Note: The cards were digitized as the "Geographic Card Set of the Russian Empire" by the Meeting of Frontiers project: a collaboration between the Library of Congress and the Russian National Library. They are available for noncommercial educational use.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
Summary of the culture, history, economy and geography of the province.
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