The World of Playing Cards Logo

Shakespeare playing cards: Quotes

Published February 06, 2024 Updated February 07, 2024

Shakespeare playing cards: Quotes, the first volume of a double set published by Prospero Art of San Francisco, 2004.

2004 USA Prospero Art Jan Padover Literature Shakespeare

This pack is the first volume of a double set published by Prospero Art of San Francisco in 2004. (For the second volume see Shakespeare playing cards: Insults, 2005).

Every card presents a Shakespearean quotation taken from every play written by the Bard, encased within an elegant and ornate golden border. The suits are themed: spades are skulduggery; hearts are love and sexual pleasure; clubs denote violence, actual or conspiring; diamonds are gain, money or treasure. The court cards additionally feature beautiful watercolour pen and ink portraits by Jan Padover, inspired by Old Masters such as Michelangelo and Rembrandt, and the aces display figures who know or seem to control the action of the play. The jokers are Falstaff (from Henry IV, pt. 2) and Rosalind (from As you like it).

Shakespeare playing cards: Quotes, the first volume of a double set published by Prospero Art of San Francisco, 2004 Shakespeare playing cards: Quotes, the first volume of a double set published by Prospero Art of San Francisco, 2004 Shakespeare playing cards: Quotes, the first volume of a double set published by Prospero Art of San Francisco, 2004 Shakespeare playing cards: Quotes, the first volume of a double set published by Prospero Art of San Francisco, 2004

Above: ‘Shakespeare playing cards: Quotes’, the first volume of a double set published by Prospero Art of San Francisco, 2004.

• See the box

• See the Shakespeare Bridge double boxed set Vol.1 & Vol.2

avatar
530 Articles

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.

Related Articles

1819 Seminole Wars deck

Seminole Wars deck

Seminole Wars deck by J. Y. Humphreys, Philadelphia, c.1819.

1972 The UCR Deck

The UCR Deck

Giant-size cards designed by Thomas Sanders to advertise courses and facilities at UCR.

2015 Fredericks & Mae playing cards

Fredericks & Mae playing cards

A rainbow pack from the design team of Fredericks & Mae and Benjamin English.

2004 Red Hat Society playing cards

Red Hat Society playing cards

Society that encourages women in their quest to get the most out of life.

1975 Mountain Dream Tarot

Mountain Dream Tarot

Groundbreaking Tarot created by Bea Nettles, using photographs and photo montage.

2024 Agatha Christie and card games

Agatha Christie and card games

Agatha Christie uses card-play as a primary focus of a story, and as a way of creating plots and mot...

2021 Junior Playing Cards

Junior Playing Cards

Child-friendly versions of standard English pattern cards designed by Louie Mantia, Jr.

2021 Last Call Cats playing cards

Last Call Cats playing cards

Bar-crawling cats, designed by artists Arna Miller and Ravi Zupa.

2006 Covered bridges playing cards

Covered bridges playing cards

Historical covered bridges with photography by Bill Miller, 2006.

1981 Motherpeace Round Tarot

Motherpeace Round Tarot

An original and imaginative feminist tarot based on Goddess energy.

1986 Victorian playing cards

Victorian playing cards

54 different card designs including people, animals, flowers, costumes and ornaments popular during ...

1980 Crown Hill playing cards

Crown Hill playing cards

Crown Hill playing cards with illustrations by Corrine Guiney, USA,

1974 O-Shlemiel card game

O-Shlemiel card game

O-Shlemiel card game with Yiddish words and phrases.

2024 Hesslers Four-Colour “No Revoke” Deck

Hesslers Four-Colour “No Revoke” Deck

Hesslers Maiden Back Four-Colour “No Revoke” Deck, with enhanced visibility and a traditional look. ...

2011 The Heart Deck™

The Heart Deck™

Useful information about heart health on every card.

1996 Star Trek® – The Original Series

Star Trek® – The Original Series

Promotional pack for CIC Video with characters and starships from the original series of Star Trek. ...