Uncut Sheet by Johann Jobst Forster

An uncut sheet in the British Museum collection contains twelve court cards of the conventional single-ended French-suited type, published by Johann Jobst Forster, Nuremberg, early 18th century. Two of the knaves bear shields with respectively “Joh Jobst” and “Forster”. An Austro-Hungarian eagle has been incorporated into the design of one of the jacks. The court cards are not named, as yet uncoloured and without suit symbols, which would have been applied later using stencils.

Many French regional patterns were exported and subsequently copied elsewhere. These cards by Johann Forster have many resemblances to an old Lyons pattern.

Above: an uncut proof sheet containing twelve court cards printed by Johann Jobst Forster, Nuremberg, early 18th C. © The Trustees of the British Museum • number 1896,0501.1116►

Reference

O’Donoghue, Freeman M: Catalogue of the collection of playing cards bequeathed by Lady Charlotte Schreiber (Sheets German 46), Trustees of the British Museum, London, 1901 [digital version here]