Mr Punch’s Playing Cards

Published December 28, 1996 Updated December 18, 2024

Mr Punch’s Playing Cards, 1896.

1896 United Kingdom freebie-cards Humour Political Satire
Mr Punch’s Playing Cards, 1896

A series of political satire cartoons in the form of playing cards appeared in “Punch” magazine, commencing in March 1896, which were reminiscent of Deakin’s Political Playing Cards (1886). The cards are different at each end and have a monogram AC in the margin. The first three are shown here but the series did not appear to continue that year.

Mr Punch’s Playing Cards, March 1896 Mr Punch’s Playing Cards, March 1896
Mr Punch’s Playing Cards, March 1896 Mr Punch’s Playing Cards, March 1896

Mr Punch’s Playing Cards, March 1896 Mr Punch’s Playing Cards, March 1896
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By Matt Probert

Member since March 02, 2012

I have adored playing cards since before I was seven years old, and was brought up on packs of Waddington's No 1. As a child I was fascinated by the pictures of the court cards.

Over the next fifty years I was seduced by the artwork in Piatnik's packs and became a collector of playing cards.

Seeking more information about various unidentified packs I discovered the World of Playing Cards website and became an enthusiastic contributor researching and documenting different packs of cards.

I describe my self as a playing card archaeologist, using detective work to identify and date obscure packs of cards discovered in old houses, flea markets and car boot sales.

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