(Baseball) LAWSON'S PATENT GAME: BASE BALL WITH CARDS. Boston, Mass.: Lawson Card Co., 1884. Originally patented on September 16, 1884, "Lawson's Patent Game: Base Ball With Cards" is the earliest known baseball card game ever produced. The game is complete and consists of 36 playing cards, 2 value cards, one rules pamphlet and the original box; all cards are without flaw, rules pamphlet with minor fraying along upper edge of front wrapper, original box with light damp-staining to one panel, otherwise box is tight and square. Six different versions of the game were created: three common blue-backed sets, one maroon-backed set with gold edges, and two rare sets made for local Boston companies. The set offered here is one of the two rare sets, created for and distributed by The Boston Loan Co.; the backs of the two value cards special printed with advertisements for the Boston Loan Co., one for "Money Deposited" and one for "Money Loaned," the rules pamphlet special printed with Boston Loan Co. advertisements on pp. [1-4] of wrappers and interspersed throughout the pages of the pamphlet; box is stamped "With Compliments of The Boston Loan Co." The condition of the game is FINE. The condition of the rules pamphlet and original box is NEAR FINE. Only one set located on OCLC/WorldCat (Chicago History Museum). RARE; and in wonderful condition. # 000968