Quartet card game – Shapers of Israeli Culture. Amarna Publishing. Israel – 1950s

Each set of four cards shares a common theme: Zionist leaders, Women of Israel, Naturalists, Philanthropists, Statesmen, Hebrew authors, Composers, Jurists, Chess masters, Explorers, Painters, Sculptors. Among the figures featured are Theodor Herzl, Montefiore, Albert Einstein, Hannah Szenes, Ben-Gurion, Marc Chagall, and others.

Each player is dealt a number of cards, and during the game, asks another player for a specific card in order to complete a quartet. If the requested card is in hand, it is handed over; if not – the turn passes. The game ends once all quartets have been collected, and the winner is the player with the most completed sets. In Israel, the Hebrew-language version published by Amarna is considered the first appearance of the game in the young Hebrew-speaking state. It was designed to familiarize children with the leading figures who shaped Hebrew culture. The most prominent game manufacturer in Israel during the 1950s and 1960s was “Amarna, ” which succeeded its predecessor, Barlowy. The company’s products often incorporated educational, historical, or linguistic elements, alongside design and production intended to suit local audiences. Its activity contributed to expanding the local market for family and educational games, making knowledge- and thinking-based games more accessible at a time when the field was still relatively limited in Israel.

Cards: 7x4.5 cm. Some stains. General condition: good. Box missing.