The Royal Historical Game of Cards
The Royal Historical Game of Cards invented by Jane Roberts and published by Robert Hardwicke, c.1840.
A very unusual series of 45 etched playing-cards, 9 arranged by centuries with text only, the rest show full-length figures of British rulers from William 1st to Victoria. The images are executed in elaborate detail. A descriptive pamphlet accompanies the cards which is titled “The Royal Historical Game of Cards, invented by Miss Jane Roberts. London: Robert Hardwicke, 26 Duke Street, Piccadilly, and all Booksellers.” Jane Roberts (1792 - after 1861) wrote a quantity of poetry, some of which was published anonymously (a number of unpublished poems and draft plots for novels survive in her notebooks), as well as inventing the Royal Historical Game of Cards, which was mentioned in her journal and published sometime around 1840.
The 9 Century Cards
The nine Century Cards are inscribed with calligraphic text listing the monarchs, which are shown on the remaining cards illustrated below.
Above: the nine Century cards with text only.
The Royal Cards
Above: the Royal Historical Game of Cards invented by Jane Roberts and published by Robert Hardwicke c.1840. Etched engravings printed with bronze powder. The card backs come in a range of colours.
CREDITS & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Royal Historical Game of Cards from the collection of Richard Green.
British Museum Prints & Drawings collection online►
Extra research by Ann Smith - www.gamesetal.net►
The January 3rd 1863 issue of Punch magazine includes a column entitled “Nursery Rhymes”, the last verse of which references cards:
“There was a young lady of Crick,
At cards when she lost the odd trick,
She'd stand on her chair
And she'd growl like a bear,
So they threw her down-stairs pretty quick.”
Courtesy Matt Probert.
By Simon Wintle
Member since February 01, 1996
Founder and editor of the World of Playing Cards since 1996. He is a former committee member of the IPCS and was graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal for many years. He has lived at various times in Chile, England and Wales and is currently living in Extremadura, Spain. Simon's first limited edition pack of playing cards was a replica of a seventeenth century traditional English pack, which he produced from woodblocks and stencils.
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