Playing Card Courts
Most playing cards show sequences, such as an arithmetic series from 1 to 10, and a social, courtly hierarchy from King and Queen to the commander-in-chief, knight or even the foot soldier. These sequences are differentiated by different suit symbols. However, the traditional court hierarchies are sometimes customised or updated according to popular culture, niche markets, history, mythology or new social values such as unisex or feminism.
While traditional designs remain dominant, artists and designers began creating custom decks with unique court card designs, often for collectors or special editions.
20: English Card-Makers 1761-1905
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by Ken Lodge
An initial survey of 19th century playing-card production. More detailed information appears on other pages.
33: Functional Changes to Playing Cards
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by Ken Lodge
The emphasis throughout my collecting has been on the design of the courts cards, and it should be pointed out that there have been some functional changes to cards, which have affected the traditional designs, especially in the 19th century.
49: De La Rue in detail
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by Ken Lodge
A detailed presentation of the variants of De La Rue's standard cards.
51: Some modern variation
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by Ken Lodge
A brief survey of some of the current variation in the standard English pattern.
6: Some Non-Standard Cards
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by Ken Lodge
I only collect the English standard, but I thought it would be a good idea to add some different types of card from time to time.
62: French regional patterns: the queens and jacks
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by Ken Lodge
Continuing our look at the figures from the regional patterns of France.
63: The descendants of the French regional patterns: 1
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by Ken Lodge
A great many regional patterns were exported from France and subsequently copied elsewhere. Some of them became local standards in their own right.
68: Playing cards in glass
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by Ken Lodge
My wife and I have recently commissioned a unique pair of stained glass windows for our home.
71: Woodblock and stencil: the hearts
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by Ken Lodge
A presentation of the main characteristics of the wood-block courts of the heart suit.
Carnival Playing Cards, 1925
The Carnival Playing Card deck designed by Harry D. Wallace (1892-1977) and first published in 1925.
EPCS February 1987 Newsletter Members Only
Unusual Waddington Pack • British Playing Cards Limited • The Cardboard Court • English Standard Card Manufacturers (Part 1) Woolley & Co • Georges Brewery Bristol • Card Game Manufacturers (Part 1) H & A Mullord Brothers • Collateral Branches of the English/American Family • 3 Decks of John Waddington in the limelight • Snap (Part 1) Globe Series of Games • A Collecting Theme: Dogs
EPCS January 1986 Newsletter Members Only
The Jack of Spades (The English Court: part 12) • Hoover Company pack • Goodall: Victor E. Mauger: International Card Company • A Collecting Theme: Birds Part 1 • Non-standard arrangement of suitmarks on pip cards • The Game of Heartsett • Owen Jones - Onoto - Pass and Joyce Ltd • Mardon Son & Hall
EPCS July 1984 Newsletter Members Only
The Jack of Clubs (The English Court: Part 1) • Happy Families • London Cries • An Exciting Discovery
EPCS November 1984 Newsletter Members Only
Garter Ace 1804-1828 • Beautiful Britain • The Queen of Diamonds (The English Court: Part 5) • De La Rue Stamps • Deakin's Political Playing Cards • Great Guns A Jaques Game • Gollywogg • The Soldier's Almanack
EPCS November 1985 Newsletter Members Only
The King of Spades (The English Court: Part 10) • Fragments from France • Games Packs Theme: Wireless • Beautiful Britain (Part 5) • Owen Jones and his card back designs • Metropolitan Vickers, War Games • Remembrance Day
EPCS September 1985 Newsletter Members Only
The English Pastime • The Jack of Hearts (The English Court: Part 9) • Playing Cards at The Great Exhibition 1851 & The London Exhibition 1862 • Game Packs Theme Collecting: War Games • Khanhoo • Metropolitan Vickers Lamps
History of Court Cards
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by Simon Wintle
The court cards in English packs of playing cards derive from models produced by Pierre Marechal in Rouen around 1565. A pack of such cards is preserved in the museum at Rouen.
Hycrest Modern Royalty
Published by the Hycrest Playing Card Co., New York, c.1931. The large suit symbol behind each figure enhances the visual impact of the deck, as does the splendid back design & Joker.