Historical playing cards by Joseph Fetscher
Historical playing cards by Joseph Fetscher, Munich, c.1820.
German-suited playing cards, illustrated with full-figure historical characters on the courts and vignettes on the numeral cards alluding to various events, produced by Joseph Fetscher, Munich, c.1820. “Ritter Bayard”, “Kuno von Kyberg”, “Herzog Burgund”, etc. The deuce of hearts has the arms of Munich arranged as a trophy and the 8 of hearts is lettered “Joseph Fetscher Kartenfabricant in München”. All the cards have a decorative border.
Above: Historical playing cards by Joseph Fetscher, Munich, c.1820. 36 cards, hand-coloured etching, backs printed with a pattern of red circles and stars, early 19th century. The tax stamp on the 7 of hearts was used between c.1816 to 1826. © The Trustees of the British Museum • Museum number 1896,0501.256►
References
O’Donoghue, Freeman M: Catalogue of the collection of playing cards bequeathed by Lady Charlotte Schreiber (German 23), Trustees of the British Museum, London, 1901 [digital version here]
Endebrock, Peter: playing-card pages: Tax Stamps from German States►
Bibliothèque nationale de France: Jeu de cartes allemand c.1804-1815►
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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