Context (Amendments / updates)
The paper envelope holding these cards has the numbers 'Z 39645', '?178', and '179' written on it. 'Z 39645' and '179' are incorrect, as these cards were previously mistaken as Z 39645. '178' is correct, as it is the Starr Collection number for these cards.
Event Date
Author: Jazmin Hundal

Context (Field collection)
Collected by Professor Frederick Starr in 1899.
Event Date 1899
Author: Lucie Carreau

Description (Physical description)
Starr Catalogue for no. 178: 'Tarjetas del Diablo: Devil's Cards. Seven cards each with three columns of numbers less than 127 so arranged as to determine a person's age or a number chosen. One player points to the cards containing the number he has chosen: the other, by adding the first numbers on these, announces the result as the chosen number.'
Event Date 1899
Author: maa

Context (Amendments / updates)
The Frederick Starr Collection of Mexican Folklore was never catalogued when it came to the museum. Cataloguing was done in 1984 when, by error, some of the items were entered in the 1984 book instead of the Z book. To try to correct this in the simplest way possible, all these numbers were grouped under a single Z number, in addition to the number already given. The remainder of the collection was then given individual Z numbers in the normal way. The collection was examined in 1984 by Dr Charlene Cerny (Director of the Museum of National Folk Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico) and her colleague, Valentin Jacques, both experts on Mexican folk art. Her notes on the collection, together with a xerox of the original catalogue, which has full details on the uses of the various items, is on file. The collection is unusual in being well documented and of such an early date, and is a rare one outside Mexico. Not all the items listed in the original catalogue were found at the time of cataloguing.
Event Date 1984
Author: maa

Description (Physical description)
Tarjetas del Diablo. Devil's Cards. Set of seven coloured cards and one instruction paper. Each card lists numbers under 127, which are organised into three columns. Green instruction paper explains in Spanish how cards are used.
Event Date 21/6/2021
Author: Jazmin Hundal