Archives
2013 • May
Etruria Minchiate
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by Simon Wintle
The Cavaliers are man/beast creatures. The Valets (or Pages) are male for clubs and swords, and female for cups and coins.
Marguerite
Each court figure is richly decorated and holding something different: a letter, a wreath, a quill pen, a mace, a bird, a flower, a cushion, a goblet, a flute, etc.
Watersprite tarot
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by Simon Wintle
The vibrant colours and artwork glorify the symbolism, mood and positive energy in this exciting new tarot deck from Australia.
Jacob Holmblad c.1830
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by Simon Wintle
An amazing difference can be seen between the early and the later Jacob Holmblad packs, covering a time span of only 17 years.
Jacob Holmblad, 1820s
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by Simon Wintle
The Q♥ has a butterfly net in which she has caught four hearts. Many of Holmblad's designs were replaced or changed in different editions, but this design was not used again.
Jacob Holmblad c.1820
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by Simon Wintle
Standard woodblock and stencil deck produced by Jacob Holmblad with double-ended court cards in the tradition of the French ‘Paris’ pattern. The A♥ features a red over-stamp referring to Jacob Holmblad's royal license to print playing-cards which had been granted in 1820.
Holmblad Animal Tarot
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by Simon Wintle
Instead of the old emblematic designs, the trump cards show illustrations of animals, which could possibly have symbolic meanings or moralizing interpretations.
Adolfo Matarelli Transformation
Matarelli was a well known caricaturist who first illustrated Carlo Collodi's famous Pinocchio story. He was also a collaborator in the satirical magazine “Il Lampione”, founded by Collodi.
Pierre Marechal
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by Simon Wintle
Rouen became an important centre for card-making whose influence extended far afield. Cards from Rouen are significant because they became the model from which our English pack subsequently evolved.
Sport No.31
Van Genechten first registered an Ace of Spades for English playing cards in 1885 followed by the ‘Sailor’ Joker.
Standard Playing Card Company
Standard Playing Card Co. started producing playing cards in c.1890 but was in business for only about four years before United States Playing Card Company acquired it in 1894.
L. P. Holmblad, c.1845
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by Simon Wintle
Holmblad ordered his earlier designs to be re-drawn and updated. Comparison of packs from this era show instances where one figure is replaced by another more imposing version.
Christian IV Anniversary
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by Simon Wintle
King Christian IV anniversary pack, designed by Thora Fisker and printed by L. Jevison Junior, 1988.
L. P. Holmblad c.1840
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by Simon Wintle
L. P. Holmblad's house pattern used from c.1840. The K♠ carries a harp as in the traditional French-type cards; but the J♠ is sleeping with his arms folded and his shield resting behind him.