Description
If you are looking for something a bit unusual from the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871, this is it. This item is laid out as a book, but an unusual one since it has a hollow interior.
The exterior is a very fine leather. The front cover bears the title “Kriegs-Despeschen 1870 & 71” with a full-sized 1870 Iron Cross. The faux pages are gilt edged, which is classic high-quality for book pages. A brass snap appears on the book’s side; when it is released, the interior of the “book” is revealed. Inside are four compartments which hold playing card-sized cards.
These are reproductions of the official war dispatches that were issued during 1870 to 1871 describing the conduct of the war and the official news. I guess you could call this CNN-of-the-day in a box! These dispatches were released as posters or handbills so the citizens could see how their army was performing in France during this short-lived war. The four compartments hold, I would estimate, approximately 350+ of these various cards. I will photograph just a small sampling of these cards. I have not looked at them all. It will be up to the new owner to discover what treasures lie within.
You will have hours of fun with this. I can assure you!
