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Writer's picturePeter Berthoud

Apple Pie, A Card Game by Mullord Bros, 1876

Updated: Oct 12, 2023

Mullord Brothers' card game version of the familiar alphabetic Nursery Rhyme Apple Pie, wonderfully illustrated by Charles Eade.

 Blank card back, A Apple Pie, B Begged for it, C Cried for it

A Apple Pie, B Begged for it, C Cried for it,


D Demanded it, E Enchanted it, F Frowned upon it, G Grinned at it

D Demanded it, E Enchanted it, F Frowned upon it, G Grinned at it,


H Howled for it, I Indisposed after it, J Juggled for it, K Knew something about it

H Howled for it, I Indisposed after it, J Juggled for it, K Knew something about it,


L Leered after it, M Munched it, N Needed it, O Opened for it

L Leered after it, M Munched it, N Needed it, O Opened for it,


P Politely refused it, Q Quarelled about it, R Rested after it, S Squinted for it

P Politely refused it, Q Quarelled about it, R Rested after it, S Squinted for it,


T Tasted it, U too Ugly for it, V Vanquished it at once, W Winked at it

T Tasted it, U too Ugly for it, B Vanquished it at once, W Winked at it,


X Xamined it, Y Yawned for it, Z Was a zany, and didn’t get any. Blank card back

X Xamined it, Y Yawned for it, Z Was a zany, and didn’t get any.



The nursery rhyme Apple Pie can trace its origins back to 1742. British Library has an 1850 printed copy of The History of the APPLE PIE ‘written by Z’ available to view online. A similar version, Marks's History of An Apple Pie, published in 1835 by J. L. Marks 91, Long Lane, Smithfield, London is here and you can read Kate Greenaway's famous version published by Frederick Warne in London 1886 at Gutenberg.


Notes:

Apple Pie, Card Game by Mullord Brothers - 26 square-cut, plain pink backed cards. No copy of the rules nor a surviving example of the original box or wrap has been found.


Mullord Brothers produced numerous games and a variety of stationery and decorative paper products at their "Bijou Works, Penn Street, Hoxton, London N." The Mullord games of Apple Pie and Cinderella were documented for the first time on this website.


The game was first advertised for sale in 1876.

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