Robert Morden’s Playing Cards
The 52 Counties of England and Wales described as a pack of cards first published in London in 1676.
The 52 Counties of England and Wales described as a pack of cards, containing a wealth of information about principal towns, roads, distances from London, hills and rivers, first published in London in 1676, might be regarded as the first pocket atlas.
The King depicted is Charles II and the Queen, his wife, Catherine of Braganza. The cards were printed from copper plates, with the suit symbols being applied by stencil. In some cards the stencilled suit mark has obliterated the Arabic numeral which represents the value of the card.
Above: cards from the facsimile edition. Packs can be ordered directly from www.harrymargary.com►
Further References
• Bodleian Library Map Department blog: Playing with maps►
• See also MailOnline: Yellowed ancient hand-crafted playing cards►
By Simon Wintle
Member since February 01, 1996
I am the founder of The World of Playing Cards (est. 1996), a website dedicated to the history, artistry and cultural significance of playing cards and tarot. Over the years I have researched various areas of the subject, acquired and traded collections and contributed as a committee member of the IPCS and graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal. Having lived in Chile, England, Wales, and now Spain, these experiences have shaped my work and passion for playing cards. Amongst my achievements is producing a limited-edition replica of a 17th-century English pack using woodblocks and stencils—a labour of love. Today, the World of Playing Cards is a global collaborative project, with my son Adam serving as the technical driving force behind its development. His innovative efforts have helped shape the site into the thriving hub it is today. You are warmly invited to become a contributor and share your enthusiasm.
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