Card game:St. Nicholas Series Authors

The card game Authors originated in Salem, Massachusetts in 1861, first published by G. M. Whipple and A.A. Smith. Parker Brothers published a version in 1897. The simple matching type game encourages players to learn which author wrote specific titles. The player with the most matched sets of titles by each author at the end of the game wins. Authors was a perennial family favorite game from its beginning and versions are still produced today. Over the years the game has broadened to include women authors, composers, explorers, inventors, and sports figures.

The printing firm, and later game maker, J. Ottmann Lithography Co. made this deck of Authors, marked as part of the "St. Nicholas Series." Was it then meant to appeal to parents as a holiday gift?