Shape Up

Published December 06, 2022 Updated December 06, 2022

“Shape Up” playing cards designed by Anthony Harris published by Figure Dynamics in 1985.

1985 United Kingdom Figure Dynamics Waddingtons Anthony Harris Health

This pack was published by Figure Dynamics in 1985 as a sister pack to Pack of Diets, and consists of 52 exercises designed for women by Anthony Harris to be undertaken according to a specified schedule over a period of 21 days. If followed correctly it should be an enjoyable and effective programme. Each suit is devoted to exercising a particular part of the body: hearts – the hips; diamonds – the waist; spades – the bust; clubs – the thighs. There are no jokers, but 3 extra cards detail the 21-day schedule, essential guidelines, and biographical information about Dr Harris

“Shape Up” playing cards published by Figure Dynamics in 1985 “Shape Up” playing cards published by Figure Dynamics in 1985

Above: “Shape Up” playing cards published by Figure Dynamics in 1985.

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By Peter Burnett

Member since July 27, 2022

I graduated in Russian and East European Studies from Birmingham University in 1969. It was as an undergraduate in Moscow in 1968 that I stumbled upon my first 3 packs of “unusual” playing cards which fired my curiosity and thence my life-long interest. I began researching and collecting cards in the early 1970s, since when I’ve acquired over 3,330 packs of non-standard cards, mainly from North America, UK and Western Europe, and of course from Russia and the former communist countries.

Russian Playing Cards

Following my retirement from the Bodleian Library in Dec. 2007 I took up a new role as Head of Library Development at the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP) to support library development in low-income countries. This work necessitated regular training visits to many sub-Saharan African countries and also further afield, to Vietnam, Nepal and Bangladesh – all of which provided rich opportunities to further expand my playing card collection.

Since 2019 I’ve been working part-time in the Bodleian Library where I’ve been cataloguing the bequest of the late Donald Welsh, founder of the English Playing Card Society.

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