Transformation Playing Cards
The best-known fantasies with playing cards are the ‘Transformation’ cards. Hand-drawing ‘transformations’ onto a pack of ordinary playing cards, with the suit symbols forming part of the overall composition, became a popular pastime 200 years ago and a test of skill in drawing. A great deal of ingenuity is required in their design. The earliest printed sets were published at the start of the 19th century, often published in the form of an almanac or sometimes known as ‘metastasis’, and these became a fashionable and entertaining novelty.
In the strict sense of the word ‘Transformation’ the pips should be in their standard positions and form part of, or fit into, the overll image portrayed on the card.
Kitten Club
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by Simon Wintle
From Empresses to King Cats and One-Eyed Jacks, every game is a pageant of unforgettable cats, each with a story to tell...
La-Tee-Da transformation playing cards
Facsimile edition of ‘La-Tee-Da’ transformation playing cards, originally made in 1865 by Dean & Son of London, republished by F.G. & Co. in 2004.
Litografías Industrias Madriguera
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by Simon Wintle
Pictorial trade cards were becoming popular throughout Europe so that tea, tobacco, chocolate or even beef extract were the commodities most associated with beautifully lithographed insert cards.
Master of the Banderoles
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by Simon Wintle
Playing Cards by the Master of the Banderoles, one of the earliest professional printmakers, c.1470.
Mermaid Queen
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by Simon Wintle
Mermaid Queen playing cards, from a series of four decks designed by John Littleboy, 2008
Metastasis Transformation Playing Cards, 1811
First published by S & J Fuller, Rathbone Place, London, September 1st 1811. This Nixon-Fuller deck was the first English deck now commonly known as transformation playing cards - the first use of the term "transformation".
On The Cards
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by Simon Wintle
A Motley Pack - transformation playing cards & ‘On The Cards’ book facsimile published by Sunish Chabba, 2019.
Pack of Dogs
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by Simon Wintle
Pack of Dogs playing cards designed by John Littleboy. Every card tells a story...
Palladin
Palladin Parlour & Playing Cards by Laura Sutherland, published by Palladin Paperworks, Santa Cruz CA., 1983.
Pips in Pictures
‘Pips in Pictures’ imaginatively transformed playing cards by Jennifer Gaudion, 2001.
Pips in Proverbs
Wonderful ‘Pips in Proverbs’ playing cards created by Jennifer Gaudion, United Kingdom, 2009.
Renaissance Playing Cards
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by Simon Wintle
Renaissance Playing Cards by Maxim Hurwicz, showing 54 different drawings spanning the years 1066 to 1400.
Schwarze Katze (or Gioco del Gatto Nero)
Reproduction of a 40-card transformation pack with designs by “WS”, adapted for the game of Black Cat.
South German Engraver
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by Simon Wintle
Conforming to an archaic format of 52 cards with banner 10s, female 'Sotas', horsemen and kings, the pack is of interest on account of a number of other packs with similar characteristics surviving elsewhere, suggesting an archaic variant of the Spanish-suited pack.
