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Playing Card-related Ephemera

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Mystery Objects

Mystery Objects

I need help in identifying the purpose of this particular piece of card-playing kit.

Patience Cards and their Boxes

Patience Cards and their Boxes

Patience Cards and their Boxes by Tony Hall.

Phone and smart cards

Phone and smart cards

Phonecards with playing card designs.

  • 1990
Piquet: the game and its artifacts

Piquet: the game and its artifacts

Piquet may be the oldest card game which is still played today with origins going back to early 16th Century.

Playing Cards in other cards

Playing Cards in other cards

Secondary applications of playing cards.

Poker Patience

Poker Patience

Poker Patience, according to an early 20th century author, was "introduced so recently as the autumn of 1908".

Pope Joan Trays

Pope Joan Trays

Some traditional Pope Joan boards comprise a circular tray, others are square, divided into sections labelled Ace, King, Queen, Jack, Intrigue and Matrimony. In the game, the Nine of Diamonds is “Pope Joan”.

Possible early astrological playing cards

Possible early astrological playing cards

Two early woodcuts that I believe to be playing cards.

Roldan Tobacco Cards, Peru

Roldan Tobacco Cards, Peru

Tobacco cards with miniature playing cards inset into top corners, printed by Litografía y Tipografía Fabbri Hermanos, for Roldan y Cia Tobacco, Lima, c.1895.

  • 1895
Secondary Uses of Playing Cards

Secondary Uses of Playing Cards

The unprinted backs of playing cards have led people to use them for secondary purposes such as memorandum slips, bibliographic index cards, for declarations of love, rendezvous notes, emergency money, visiting cards and so on.

Sweetnotes playing cards

Sweetnotes playing cards

Heart-shaped cards with sweet notes on all the backs.

  • 2005
Sylvanian Families mini playing cards

Sylvanian Families mini playing cards

Miniature cards in sheet form with Sylvanian Families characters on the courts and Jokers.

  • 1987
The Evolution of Whist and Bridge Boxed Sets, 1870s – 1930s

The Evolution of Whist and Bridge Boxed Sets, 1870s – 1930s

Boxed sets of cards, markers, scorers and rule booklets have been around for many decades. Some of the "shop perfect" items in my collection are well over 100 years old.

The Jovial Cards

The Jovial Cards

Publicity items for a group of entertainers, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, UK, 1911.

  • 1911
The making of a Bridge or Bézique marker

The making of a Bridge or Bézique marker

This post-mortem was carried out on a Bezique marker which was already falling apart.

The Odd Trick

The Odd Trick

The Odd Trick - a bit of Edwardian naughtiness.

Whist marker boxes

Whist marker boxes

The Camden Whist marker was being advertised by Goodall and son in 1872 as a new product.

Will’s Cigarettes and Auction Bridge

Will’s Cigarettes and Auction Bridge

In 1926 Will’s issued a set of 25 cigarette cards on Auction Bridge, presenting a range of hands illustrating various circumstances in play.

  • 1926
Wine Labels & Chocolate Biscuits

Wine Labels & Chocolate Biscuits

‘Pinta en Copas’ playing card-themed wine labels sold at Día Supermarkets.

  • 2022
Wrappers

Wrappers

Playing cards were traditionally sold inside paper wrappers, which were usually thrown away.