SERIES: Pictorial History of the Sports and Pastimes of All Nations
SCENES: Playing the lute and belly dancing; playing checkers
SIZE: 5" x 3"
ARTIST: Not signed, but reportedly Frances Brundage
DATE: 1893
LITHOGRAPHER: Kaufman & Strauss
CONDITION: Very good, I'd say. This card is only lightly soiled, with slightly worn edges and corners. There are small but sharp diagonal creases across the upper right and lower left corners, along with a couple mild creases near the center of each side. (Please see scans.)
MULTIPLE ITEM SHIPPING DISCOUNT: I will ship up to 4 cards for the single base shipping charge shown. For purchases of more than 4 cards, the shipping charge will increase by just a small increment for every 4 additional cards.
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REVERSE TEXT: TURKEY.
THE Turk has been pictured to our Western imaginations in many contradictory ways, but not one of these has portrayed him in action, save in that of war. Then he is represented as fierce and relentless. The Turk takes his pleasure seriously. He is sober and sedate in his diversions, and prefers to be an onlooker.
In character he is grave and saturnine, pious to the extreme, brave yet pusilanimous, simple yet luxurious, and extremely indolent.
It is the custom of the Turks, when they entertain to dinner, and wish specially to honor their guests, to engage professional story-tellers, singers and dancers to entertain these, when the feast is ending. Decked in the graceful and filmy folds of their drapery, these latter make entrancing pictures, and the soft tomes of the lute, added to the sinuous movements of these lithe girls, is ravishing to the senses.
Although not of Turkish origin, the game of checkers or draughts is an extremely popular pastime. It is no uncommon street sight to see two venerable bearded sheiks bent in deep abstraction over the engrossing board.
The favorite musical instrument of Turkey is the lute. This is extremely dulcet of sound, graceful of appearance, and charming and seductive of tone. It is shaped like the section of a pear, and in the hands of Oriental beauty adds irrestible witchery.
The land of the Moslem is the home of the harem. Within its secret walls, young maids disport. Here it is where they acquire proficiency in dancing.
