The World of Playing Cards Logo

Harry Rountree

Published July 03, 1996 Updated December 14, 2021

Designs by Harry Rountree (1878-1950); Waddington's 1933 Trade Brochure.

United Kingdom Waddingtons Harry Rountree Rountree

Playing Card back designs by Harry Rountree (1878-1950)

for John Waddington Ltd, 1930s

Harry Rountree was born in New Zealand and moved to England in 1901, when he was 23 years old. He settled in London, struggling to make a living as a magazine and book illustrator. Eventually, the editor of Little Folks magazine took him on, and this proved Rountree's big break. From 1903 on, he was one of the most popular and well-known illustrators in London. He illustrated the books 'Fairy Tales' by Dumas (1904), 'Alice in Wonderland' (1908), 'The Story of Wicked Tim' (1917) and many more. In 1919, he was the chief illustrator for comic magazine Playtime, the first succesful comic in half-tabloid format.

Golden Eagle by Harry Rountree design by Harry Rountree design by Harry Rountree Polar Bear by Harry Rountree
Fed Up by Harry Rountree Repentant Sinner by Harry Rountree
Young England by Harry Rountree Young Scotsmen by Harry Rountree
avatar
1,454 Articles

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.


Leave a Reply

Default Avatar
Your Name
Just now

Create account to comment Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here.


Related Articles

1989 Hamlet Cigars

Hamlet Cigars

Advertising deck for “Hamlet mild cigars”, a Benson & Hedges product.

Heathen Divinities

Heathen Divinities

Handmade playing cards from the British Museum depicting classical Greek and Roman gods and goddesse...

1968 1968 Worshipful Company Pack

1968 Worshipful Company Pack

Commemorating the Games of the XIX Olympiad, Mexico, 1968 (Master: Michael J. Amberg).

2006 Royal Britain

Royal Britain

Pack devised by Pietro Alligo depicting English monarchs from Alfred the Great to Elizabeth II.

Hand-drawn set of 52 playing cards

Hand-drawn set of 52 playing cards

An imaginatively hand-drawn set of 52 playing cards by an amateur artist, 18th century.

2004 Famous Faces playing cards

Famous Faces playing cards

Images of the great and the good to be found in the National Portrait Gallery, London.

2013 Go Go Gorillas!

Go Go Gorillas!

Go Go Gorillas! charity playing cards sponsored by the Eastern Daily Press and the Norwich Evening N...

1875 Hand-drawn transformation cards, c1875

Hand-drawn transformation cards, c1875

A complete set of hand-drawn transformation cards from c1875, using a standard De La Rue pack.

Classification of Numeral Card Designs in French-suited packs

Classification of Numeral Card Designs in French-suited packs

The classification of numeral cards in French-suited packs, covering various pip designs in over 400...

The Douce Collection

The Douce Collection

The Douce Collection of playing cards in the Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford.

The Henry Hart Puzzle

The Henry Hart Puzzle

Explore the intricate history and unique design variations of Henry Hart's playing cards, tracing th...

Playing Card Research Archives maintained by The Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards

Playing Card Research Archives maintained by The Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards

The Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards maintains an extensive archive of materials from n...

1983 The Art of Erté

The Art of Erté

Luxury playing cards displaying artwork by Erté, published in 1983 by Sobranie of London.

2006 The Chamber of 52 Cards

The Chamber of 52 Cards

Playing cards published by Peter Wood as a tribute to the rock band Genesis.

1675 English cards from the reign of Charles II

English cards from the reign of Charles II

This article explores a historic pack of English playing cards from circa 1675, likely used by King ...

1961 Sweetule Natural History cards

Sweetule Natural History cards

Small cards featuring natural history subjects, given away with packets of sweet cigarettes.