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Playing cards combine many aspects of our history including paper-making, printing technologies, innovation, symbolism, graphic design and how these have changed over the years. Whatever your interest in cards, you'll find something interesting here.
Miniature spanish-suited playing cards
Pack of 48 miniature spanish playing-cards published by C R.
Uncut Sheet by Johann Jobst Forster
A proof sheet containing twelve court cards of conventional French type.
Lend Me Five Shillings
or “Her Majesty’s Privy Purse” - a merry round-the-table game published by D. Ogilvy.
Poker Lusso
Richly costumed courts on a luxury poker pack from Masenghini.
Classic Card Games for Kids
A boxed set of playing cards, Happy Families and an alphabet pack with rules for 22 games.
Eves Playing Cards
A pack of cards with colour photos of Indian film stars from the era
Pentacards
A five-suited set of playing cards published by Fleet and Case Games Ltd., Rainham, Kent, UK, c.1980...
BEB playing cards
Multicoloured publicity pack for a gas production and transport company.
Rika playing cards
Playing cards depicting famous Austrian skiers of the 1970s.
Art Deco playing cards
by Flemming-Wiskott A.G.of Glogau, Germany.
Vues et Caractères Suisses No.228
A Swiss souvenir pack by Dondorf
Goodall 1879-1880 Sample Book
Complete contents of a sample book by Goodall & Sons
The President’s deck
The President’s deck, USA, 1972
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland illustrated by Helen Oxenbury, 1999.
Cards Eh!
“Cards Eh!” playing cards with general information about Canada produced by JK Productions of Richmo...
64: The descendants of the French regional patterns: 2
A continuation of the development of the off-spring of the Paris patterns and a few examples of how ...
54: China 1
Although many people would not consider Chinese cards worth collecting, the huge variety of court de...
T. Drayton & Son
Bezique and Whist boxed sets by T. Drayton & Son, London, c.1875.
The making of a Bridge or Bézique marker
This post-mortem was carried out on a Bezique marker which was already falling apart.
Progressive Whist Cards
There are references to “progressive whist” or “whist drives” during the 19th and early years of the...
Cosi Fan Tutte
Cosi Fan Tutte was published in 1994 and is based on Mozart's opera. The pips (heart-shaped locket, ...
Whist No.80
Stylistically, the deck fits easily into the Dondorf “luxury card” group. The deck was produced for ...
Karl Gerich No.33: Views of Bath
Views of Bath is Georgina Harvey's third design, created in 1990. The cards feature beautifully desi...
Garden Flowers
Garden Flowers card game designed by Dora Ratman, published by Pepys, 1961.
Tarok c.1900
Piatnik & Söhne “Industrie und Glück” Tarok c.1905-1910.
Skat Express
One end Berlin pattern the other standard English pattern
Morgan-Greer Tarot
Based on the knowledge, wisdom and interpretation of Paul Foster Case and Arthur Edward Waite.
New Palladini Tarot
“The New Palladini Tarot” by David Palladini published by U.S. Games Inc., in 1996.
The Aquarian Tarot Deck
The Aquarian Tarot Deck illustrated by David Palladini, published by Morgan Press, Inc., 1970.
The Tarot Strikes Back
Roy Huteson Stewart's The Tarot Strikes Back combines Star Wars with Rider-Waite tarot imagery.
House of Tudor
Randy Butterfield's House of Tudor playing cards feature detailed art in a high-quality collectible ...
Jack-O’-Lantern Tarot
Giuliano Costa's Jack-O’-Lantern tarot blends Rider-Waite symbolism with the rich and atmospheric th...
Miniature spanish-suited playing cards
Pack of 48 miniature spanish playing-cards published by C R.
Uncut Sheet by Johann Jobst Forster
A proof sheet containing twelve court cards of conventional French type.
Lend Me Five Shillings
or “Her Majesty’s Privy Purse” - a merry round-the-table game published by D. Ogilvy.
The History of Playing Cards
Playing cards arrived in Europe the late 14th century and rapidly became a part of popular culture. Antique playing cards are like a visit to the local museum and evoke images of past eras and ways of life and also demonstrate archaic technology or production methods. So what do the oldest surviving playing cards look like?
Forrest Cards, c.1750s
Hand-coloured Forrest Cards produced for “Young Gentlemen & Ladys who are Lovers of Ingenuity”, c.17...
Joan Barbot
Joan Barbot, San Sebastian c.1765-1810.
Georg Kapfler
Antique deck of old Bohemian playing cards of the German type manufactured by Georg Kapfler and date...
60: Some less common Goodall packs, 1875-95
There are some interesting packs from Goodall in the last quarter of the 19th century.
Art & Design
Design Caricatures Abstract Cartoon Celtic Deco Jugendstil Renaissance Rococo SurrealismThe playing card calls for artistic treatment and although the constrained size imposes some limitations there is an almost bewildering wealth and variety of designs in playing cards and their tuck boxes. The serious player requires design to be unobtrusive so that aesthetic considerations remain in the background. However, with modern manufacturing technology more eye-catching designs are becoming popular as gifts, collectibles and for their attractive appearance.
Chinese Jokers
Chinese playing card makers have probably produced the widest variety of jokers of any single part o...
Non-standard deck by Maillard
Attractive deck by the Portuguese maker Maillard, c.1885 with scenic aces and German-style courts
Jeu de Tarot Pocket Fantasy/Science-Fiction
Tarot game pack with fantasy sci-fi artwork on the trumps published by Pocket SF, France.
Calliope: a Renaissance band
Facsimile of cards attributed to Hans Schäufelein (c. 1480-1540) produced by ‘Calliope’, a New York ...
Oracle, Divination & Tarot
The art of interpreting divine omens - augury or reading karma - has since ancient times been integral to political, civic and religious life.
More recently, Cartomancy and modern esoteric tarot packs have been produced in a wide variety of conceptions and involve use of imagination and intuition to assess one’s thoughts and feelings from the view point of the symbolic images and numbers.
It is possible for an object to be construed as a game in one context, and as something other than a game in a different context.
Tarot, originally a 15th century card game, has evolved into a popular system of personal mysticism, self-exploration and spirituality Learn more about tarot►
Rameses Fortune Telling
The Rameses Fortune Telling Cards were manufactured by Chas. Goodall & Son Ltd, London, c.1910, arou...
EPCS February 1989 Newsletter
Reynolds & Sons Fortune Telling • Superfine Playing Cards • Collecting Theme: GAS • Joseph Reynolds ...
The Fortune Teller's Deck
The Fortune Teller’s Deck was published in 1995 in conjunction with a book written by Jane Lyle. The...
Tarots Egipcios Kier
The “Tarots Egipcios” was first published by Editorial Kier S.A. in c.1971 with Spanish titles, with...
The games we play mirror the world we live in, like popular art. There was a time when friends and family played indoor games by the fireside and enjoyed countless hours of pleasure and amusement. Children don’t play card games so much because they prefer computer games, the ultimate excitement. Antique and vintage card games offer documentary evidence, as well as nostalgic memories, of the social interaction, fashions and stereotypes of bygone days and are a study in social anthropology.
French card games are mostly Jeux des Sept Familles. German games are often pleasing on the eye, and they seem to favour quartet games. USA love quartets of world worthies like authors, painters, composers. Games are not simply an escape from the real world, they are also educational and provide a place to process what it all means.
Alice in Wonderland by Sasha Dounaevski
Alice in Wonderland playing cards designed by Sasha Dounaevski, 2018.
Lion Coffee
Lion Coffee Mother Goose card game, late 19th C.
Children's Card Games
Children's games are distinct from ordinary playing cards, the most obvious difference being the lac...
Jeu des 7 Familles by J.J.F
“Jeu des 7 Familles” by Jeux et Jouets Français of Paris, 1904.
The Big Picture
Playing cards have a universal appeal and are a reflection of human culture.
Playing cards are a part of almost every culture and society around the world. These small, rectangular pieces of paper have been a source of entertainment for generations and are still enjoyed by people of all ages today. Whether it’s a simple game of solitaire, a high-stakes game of poker, or a magic trick that delights, there’s something about playing cards that captures the imagination and inspires creativity. As Delef Hoffmann once said “whether we consider cards as mere merchandise or as the bond which unites people with one another, just think of what we would be if we had no cards! How boring and unsociable our lives would be without this invention!”
The origin of cards can be traced back to China, where they were first used as early as the 9th century. From there, the cards travelled across Asia and the Middle East, and finally found their way to Europe in the 14th century.
Since then, playing cards have been used for a wide range of purposes, including fortune-telling and even propaganda. But the most significant impact they have had on humanity is through their use in games, which have brought people together for centuries.
While playing cards have brought people together for fun and play, they have also been a source of disruption in the form of gambling. For many, gambling has become an addiction, leading to financial ruin and even anti-social problems.
The artistic value of cards cannot be overlooked, with their intricate details and unique designs of each card reflecting the creativity and ingenuity of artists. Playing cards are a reflection of our society, with each country and region having its unique designs and styles. As Sylvia Mann put it “there are fashions in cards, and these fashions very often reflect the history of the times”. From the bold and colourful designs of India to the intricate and detailed patterns of Russia, playing cards are a testament to the creativity and diversity of the human experience.
Playing cards are an enduring symbol of human connection and creativity, transcending language, borders and cultures. Through the power of games, they have brought people together for centuries, creating shared experiences that have fostered friendships, learning and social bonds. While their role in gambling has been disruptive, their stunning artistic designs elevate them to works of art, worthy of appreciation and admiration. Playing cards are a testament to the power of human creativity and a reflection of the rich cultural tapestry of our world.
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About the World of Playing Cards
Our aim is to increase awareness and appreciation of the cultural and historical significance of playing cards.
The World of Playing Cards was established in 1996 as a place where you can learn about playing cards, their history, design and manufacture, and see cards from around the world.
They reflect the traditions of many countries. They vary widely in size, style, shape, artistry, usage and many other purposes in education, marketing or even for fortune telling. There is a fascination in playing card design: the neat symmetries and quirky symbols. The composition of the pack - court cards, suits, pips - provides endless scope of play.
They are recognised everywhere around the world - we rarely question their origins.
Since their invention, cards have lost none of their popularity. Playing cards have a long history and it's in the art that the richness of playing cards is to be discovered.
Simon & Adam
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