Fake Blanchard Ace of Spades

Published May 19, 2014 Updated July 12, 2022

Fake Blanchard Ace of Spades with court cards based on Hall.

Belgium United Kingdom Blanchard Aces History

Fake “Blanchard” Duty Ace
with court cards based on Hall

Above: Hall courts on which the fake cards are based.

Uncut proof sheet showing a fake “Blanchard” Duty Ace of Spades with court cards based on those of Hall of c.1790-1805, unknown maker, probably Belgian. The cards also look like the Belgian copies made for illegal importation into UK. Modern off-prints are also available from the Turnhout Playing Card Museum but without the Ace of Spades.

uncut proof sheet showing a fake Blanchard Ace of Spades with court cards based on Hall

Above: uncut proof sheet showing a fake “Blanchard” Ace of Spades with court cards based on Hall, unknown maker, probably Belgian. Images courtesy Ken Lodge.

REFERENCES

Lodge, Ken: The Standard English Pattern (second revised and enlarged edition), Bungay, Suffolk, 2010

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By Simon Wintle

Member since February 01, 1996

I am the founder of The World of Playing Cards (est. 1996), a website dedicated to the history, artistry and cultural significance of playing cards and tarot. Over the years I have researched various areas of the subject, acquired and traded collections and contributed as a committee member of the IPCS and graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal. Having lived in Chile, England, Wales, and now Spain, these experiences have shaped my work and passion for playing cards. Amongst my achievements is producing a limited-edition replica of a 17th-century English pack using woodblocks and stencils—a labour of love. Today, the World of Playing Cards is a global collaborative project, with my son Adam serving as the technical driving force behind its development. His innovative efforts have helped shape the site into the thriving hub it is today. You are warmly invited to become a contributor and share your enthusiasm.

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