Dubois
Dubois card makers from Liège in the Walloon Region of Belgium.
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Above: J T Dubois operated at Rue Souverain-Pont No. 314, Liege. Detail from a wrapper, c.1800-1825. © The Trustees of the British Museum online here►
Cardmakers by the name of J.B, J.T and J.J Dubois of Liège are known from the late-18th ’til mid-19th centuries.
J B Dubois had a workshop behind the Maison de Ville
J J Dubois was established at Haute-Sauvernière 352, or Rue de Stokis 188
J T Dubois operated at Rue Souverain-Pont No. 314.
They produced standard Belgian, Liège and Paris patterns, also Animal Tarots, children’s cards, a fantasy design with decorative aces and Gatteaux's Empire cards, in several qualities and sizes. Their businesses were eventually taken over by G. Gluck, also of Liège.
Paris pattern - J.T Dubois
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Above: double-ended Paris pattern piquet deck manufactured by J.T Dubois, Liège, c.1810-1820. Named courts. Stencil-coloured woodcut prints. The king of spades has the legend "J T DUBOIS" in the middle and the jack of clubs "A LIEGE". From the National Museum of the Playing Card collection, online here►
• Gatteaux's Empire cards published by J T Dubois, British Museum online collection►
• 18th Century Animal Tarot published by J B Dubois, British Museum online collection►
• 19th Century Animal Tarok published by J J Dubois, National Museum of the Playing Card online collection►
Belgian pattern
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Above: Belgian pattern manufactured by Dubois, Liège, mid-19th century. Based on the French Paris pattern, but unnamed courts and unconventional colour scheme. Stencil-coloured woodcut prints. The king of spades has the letters "DUB" in the middle and the jack of clubs "LIEGE".
Liège pattern - J.J Dubois
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Above: Liège pattern manufactured by J.J Dubois. Complete piquet pack of 32 playing-cards, hand-coloured woodcut, backs printed with a small black pattern, 19th century. The king of hearts holds a shield charged with an eagle, and that held by the king of clubs is charged with the fleur-de-lis of France. The king of spades holds a harp. The inscription on the knave of spades is "J. J. Dubois". © The Trustees of the British Museum online here►
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Above: part of wrapper by J.J Dubois bearing the device "Aux trois Pigeons" and showing address at Rue de Stokis 188. © The Trustees of the British Museum online here►
REFERENCES
Cremers, Filip: Kaartenmakers in Wallonië - Cartiers en Wallonie, Nationaal Museum van de Speelkaart, Turnhout, 1994
Gatteaux's Empire cards published by J T Dubois, British Museum online collection►
18th Century Animal Tarot published by J B Dubois, British Museum online collection►
19th Century Animal Tarok published by J J Dubois, National Museum of the Playing Card online collection►
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By Simon Wintle
Member since February 01, 1996
Founder and editor of the World of Playing Cards since 1996. He is a former committee member of the IPCS and was graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal for many years. He has lived at various times in Chile, England and Wales and is currently living in Extremadura, Spain. Simon's first limited edition pack of playing cards was a replica of a seventeenth century traditional English pack, which he produced from woodblocks and stencils.
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