Gambling Memorabilia Featuring the Collection of Tom Blue

Lot #2:

A Grand Exposé of the Science of Gambling, Containing a Complete Disclosure of the Secrets of the Art. As Practices by Professional Gamblers.

“An Adept” (pseudo.). A Grand Exposé of the Science of Gambling, Containing a Complete Disclosure of the Secrets of the Art. As Practices by Professional Gamblers. New York: Frederic A. Brady, (1860). Semi-limp green cloth stamped in gilt and blind, front design of a deck of playing cards resting atop a dice cup, surrounded by the Aces and three other cards, and gambling chips. Square 16mo (5 ½ x 4 ¾”). 194pp. Small marginal dampstain to terminating leaves, a few short closed marginal tears; minor bubbling to cloth, slight canting. Rare. Jessel 587. Long before the works of Erdnase, Ritter, and Quinn, the anonymous author of this exposé of the sundry techniques of swindlers, card cheats, and cons describes a hold-out devised by a former prisoner of Sing Sing, Three Card Monte, deck switching, marked and altered cards, and other methods of cheating, obtained, judging by the narrative tone, from firsthand experience.