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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.
Popular Fine Art Litho Works
A standard English pack and one adapted for magic tricks by Popular Fine Art Litho Works Ltd., Bomba...
Nokia II
Advertising pack for the Finnish firm Nokia showing different mobile phones.
Classic Card Games for Kids
A boxed set of playing cards, Happy Families and an alphabet pack with rules for 22 games.
Dondorf Patience playing cards No.26
Patience playing cards with children in historical costumes
Unnamed Scenic aces of Rio de Janeiro
Cards made by C.L.Wüst of Germany for Brazil
Isle of Man playing cards by De La Rue & Goodall
Two different versions of Isle of Man playing cards from 1870 and 1914.
Politicards 2004
Politicards 2004 with satirical cartoons by the award-winning illustrator Peter Green, USA.
Soviet propaganda posters
Propaganda posters of the Soviet Union.
Theatre of Pain / Teatr Boli
Theatre of Pain / Teatr boli playing cards depicting politicians and leaders in the Caucasus territo...
59: Owen Jones (1809-74) and De La Rue
A selection of examples of Owen Jones's work printed by De La Rue.
39: Mixed Packs
A number of mixed packs appear for sale from time to time, but it's important to sort out what is me...
Bridge Markers and bridge scoring methods
Bridge Markers and bridge scoring methods 1900-1930
The Search for New Games in the late 19th century
A few new games survived and are still around today; most came and went and are only witnessed in th...
Hoyle and his Legacy
Edmond Hoyle (1672-1769) was an English writer who made his name by writing on whist and a selection...
Karl Gerich No.19
An unpublished design by Karl Gerich showing 12 court cards, a Joker and two additional cards produc...
Der Feinen Welt
Lattmann's 'Die Spielkarte Der Feinen Welt' published in 1923.
Deakin’s 1st edition
Deakin & Co., 45 Eastcheap, London EC published a political pack in 1886 with caricatures of politic...
Drover’s Dilemma
“Drover’s Dilemma” - a card game from Australia.
Winnie the Pooh
Winnie the Pooh card game published by Pepys Games 1965.
Happy Guides
Happy Guides by James Brown & Son (Glasgow) Ltd. around 1910/1915.
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?
History of Online Casinos
Online casinos appeared shortly after the internet became a more mainstream tool for the public to u...
70: Woodblock and stencil : the spade courts
This is a presentation in a more straightforward fashion of the work done by Paul Bostock and me in ...
William Warter
William Warter's Proverbial Cards, which carry illustrations of old English proverbs, were first pub...
Triplicate No.18
Dougherty first secured a patent for “Triplicates” in 1876, a novel type of indices with a miniature...
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.
Casino
“Casino” pack made by J. Müller & Cie & Cie, Schaffhouse. The pack was probably designed by Josef Ma...
Moderne Art Deco Playing Cards
This pack created by Randy Coffey is based on the 1920s and 1930s Art Deco style of fine decoration ...
Sola-Busca Tarocchi
The Sola-Busca Tarocchi, c.1491
Huckleberry Hound Booby
Tower Press “Huckleberry Hound Booby” No 6648, c.1962.
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►
Tarot of the Thousand and One Nights (1001 Nights Tarot)
This tarot deck captures the idealised Eastern world's magic from the eighteenth and nineteenth cent...
The Place of the Fool
This paper considers three questions relating to the Fool-card in the tarot-pack.
Livre du Destin
Livre du Destin or Book of Fate, printed by B.P.Grimaud, Paris, c.1900.
Alison McDonald
Artwork for The Watersprite Tarot© designed and painted by Alison McDonald.
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.
Golden Egg
Chad Valley “Golden Egg” card game.
EPCS May 1985 Newsletter
A Georgian Game • Beautiful Britain (part four) • The Popish Plot (part two) • The Worshipful Compan...
Word Making and Word Taking
How crossword and spelling games became popular.
EPCS February 2003 Newsletter
Waddington Catalogue • Poets at the Card Table • Hindooy • White Witchcraft • New Transformation Car...
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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