Peculiar Playing Cards

byGeorgeClulow

Peculiar Playing Cards

by George Clulow Originallypublishedin TheStrandMagazine

CoverImage:TheCardsharpsbyValintindeBoulogne

'What'sonthecards?'Aquestioncommonenoughwhentheactualknowledgeofthe momentdoesnotaffordapositiveanswer;aquestion,too,whichhasanorigintakingusback totheearliestuseofplayingcards.Buttohowmanyofthosetowhomplayingcardsasa meansofrecreationarefamiliarisitknownwhat maybefoundonthecards?Yetuponthese bitsofpaintedcardboardtherehasbeenexpendedagreateramountofingenuityandof artisticeffortthanistobefoundinanyotherformofpopularamusement.Pope'scharming epic,TheRapeoftheLock,givesus,inpoeticform,adescriptionofthefacesofthecardsas knowntohimandtothecardplayersofhistime: Beholdfourkingsinmajestyrevered, Withhoarywhiskersandaforkybeard; Andfourfairqueens,whosehandssustainaflower, Th'expressiveemblemoftheirsofterpow'r; Fourknavesingarbssuccinct,atrustyband, Capsontheirheadsandhalberdsintheirhand. Itisnotourpurposetohistoricallytracetheevolutionofcardsthisisasubjectbeyondthe reachofthepresentarticlebutalookfartherafieldwillgiveusevidencethatduringthe lastthreecenturiestherehasbeenaconstantadaptationofcardstopurposeswhichtakethem beyondtheirintentionastheinstrumentsforcardplaying only.Theideathatplayingcardshadtheirorigininthelater yearsofCharlesVI.ofFrancemaybedisposedofatonceasa popularerror,thoughitistruethattheearliestauthentic exampleswhichstillexistarepartsofthetwopacksofcards whichwereproducedfortheamusementofthatKing,bythe handsofJacquesGringonneur,andofwhichseventeenare preservedintheBibliothqueNationaleofParis. Thesearethemostearlyformsofplayingcards,andare knownasTarots(asdistinguishedfromNumerals,or cardswhichhavetheconsecutivelymarkedsuitsigns),and whichhadevidentlyapurposeoutsidetheordinarygamesof playingcardsasknowntous.TheTarotpackconsists variouslyofseventytwo,seventyseven,orseventyeight cards,includingtheTarots,whichgivethemtheir distinctivename.Tarotasagamewasfamiliarthree centuriesagoinEngland,butissonolonger,althoughithasa limiteduseinotherpartsofEuropestill.OneoftheTarot cards,oftheBibliothqueNationale,LaMort,isshownas thefirstofourillustrations(Fig.1). Figure 1

Figure 2

Familiartothosewhoareconversantwiththeliteratureof playingcardswillbetheKnaveofClubs,showninFig.2, whichisoneofthefragmentsofapackofcardsfound,in 1841,byMr.Chatto,inthewastepaperusedtoformthe pasteboardcoversofabook.Thesecardsareprintedin outlinefromwoodblocksandthecolourfilledinby stencilling,amethodemployedinthemanufactureofcards downtoaveryfewyearsago.Thedateofthesecardsmay safelybetakenasnotmorerecentthan1450,andtheyare mostinterestingasbeingcoevalwith,ifnotantecedentto, themostearlyformofprintedbookillustrationasshownin theBibliaPauperum.Thearchaicdrawingofthe features,withitsdisregardoffacialperspective,andthe wondrouscervicalanatomy,donotlessenouradmirationof thevigourandgoshowninthisearlyexampleoftheart

ofthedesignerandwoodengraver. Itisininterestingrelationtotheknavesofapackofcardstonotethecuriousconservatism whichhasbelongedtothemduringthelastfourcenturiesandahalf.InaMS.intheBritish Museum,writtenintheyear1377,themonkishwriter,inamoralizationonthelifeofman, suggestsitsresemblancetoagameofcards;andhegivesusadescriptionandtheattributes ofsomeofthecards.Ofthosewhichwenowknowas knaves,hesaystwoofthemholdtheirhalberdsorarms downwardsandtwoofthemupwardsadistinction whichisretainedonmanyoftheplayingcardsstill manufactured. InFig.3wehaveoneofthecardsfromaseriesofTarots ofItalianorigin,alsopreservedintheBibliothque Nationale,andwhichmaybedatedabout1470.Theseare verybeautifulindesign,andindicatethattheywere thoughtworthyoftheemploymentofthehighestartistic talent. Wehaveanexampleofasomewhatmoremoderndatein theKnaveofDiamonds(Fig.4),inwhichthecostumeand characterpointtotheearlypartofthesixteenthcenturyas theperiodoftheirproduction.Thisalsoisfromafragment discoveredintheboardsofanoldbookasourcewhich maybecommendedtothewatchfulnessofthebookbinder, asthebindingsofoldbooksarestilllikelytoprovideother interestingexamples. Beforeusarepartsoftwopacksofcardswhichwere discoveredinEdinburgh,in1821,pastedupinabookof householdaccounts,oneofitsleavesbearingthedateof

Figure 3

Figure 4

1562;anditwouldbenogreatstretchoffancytobelieve thattheyweretakentoEdinburghbysomefollowerof MaryQueenofScotsonherreturntoScotlandayearbefore thisdate.ThesecardsareofFlemishmake;ononeofthem isthenameJehanHenault,whowasacardmakerin Antwerpin1543,andinpassingwemayremarkthatatthis periodtherewasaconsiderabletradebetweenLondonand FranceinplayingcardsofFlemishmanufacture.Old playingcardsmaybelookedforinmostunlikelyplaces;a fewyearsagotwonearlycompletepackswerefound wedgedinanoldcrossbow,forthepurposeofsecuringthe bowwhereithadworkedlooseinthehead;theywereof sixteenthcenturymanufacture,andhaddoubtlessbeenthe meansofrelievingthetediumof manyawearywatchorwaiting, infieldorfortress,beforethey foundtheirrestingplaceofa coupleofcenturiesinthe

obsoletemissiveweaponwheretheywerediscovered.Wefind onmanycardssomeattemptsatportraiture. ThuswehaveinFig.5Clovisas theKingofClubs,butdepicted inacostumeofthetimeof HenryIV.ofFrance,thecard itselfbeingofthatperiod.This, aswellasFig.4,isfromapack offiftytwoNumeralcards, printedfromwoodblockand stencilledincolour. Figure 5 ReturningtoTarots,wehaveinFig.6(LeFou)oneofthe cardsdesignedbyMitelliabout1680,itissaidtotheorder ofamemberoftheBentivogliofamily(partsofwhose armorialbearingsaretobefoundonmanyofthecards),for theTarrocchinidiBologna,aspecialformofthegameof Tarot,aseriesofspiriteddesignsofvigorousandcareful drawing,andthemostartisticallyvaluableofanyofthe Tarotswithwhichweareacquainted.Inthemnotonlythe Tarotseriesbuttheordinarysuitsdisplayaquaint conceptionandgenerallyelegantdesign. Figure 6

Itiscurioustonotethatintheelevenpacksorpartsof packsoftheseBolognesecardswhichwehavemetwithin variouspartsofEuropethereisnotanyuniformityof manufacture,butwhilethedesignsarethesameand evidentlyproducedfromthesamecopperplates,the makingofthemintocardsforthepurposeofplaybears indicationofwhatmightbetermedadomestic manufacture.Forsometimethegamewasinterdictedin Bologna,anditispossiblethatthismayhaveinduceda surreptitiousproductionandillicitsaleofthecards. Fortunately,theinterdictdidnotpreventthepreservation tousofthisinterestingseries. Atdifferentperiodsbetweenthesixteenthandnineteenth centuries,butnotablyinthetwoearlierofthem,card suitshavebeenusedotherthanthefamiliaronesof Hearts,Spades,Clubs,andDiamonds,andmuchingenuity andimaginationhavebeenexerciseduponthem.Among themostbeautifulofsuchcardswetakethesetdesigned Figure 7 andengravedbyVirgilSolis,thecelebratedNuremberg artistandengraver,inwhichthesuitsignsareLions,Peacocks,Monkeys,andParroquets.In Fig.7wehavetheAceofPeacocks.Theacesareletteredwiththedistinctivesuittitlesofthe Germancards,viz.,Grun,Eicheln,Schellen,andHerzen.Thepackconsistsof fiftytwo,dividedintofoursuitsofthirteencardseach;thedateofthesecardsisbetween1535 and1560,andtheyareanimportant andvaluableitemintheartistic historyofplayingcards. Anotherexampleofthisvariation inthesuitsigns,aswellasofa variationfromtheordinary rectangularform,istobefoundin theroundcard(Fig.8),ofa somewhatearlierdatethanthe preceding,wherethesuitsare Hares,Parrots,Pinks,and Columbines,andwhichwhen completemakealsoapackof fiftytwo,thevalueofthecards followingthesequenceofKing, Queen,andKnavebeingindicated bytheArabicnumeralatthebaseof andtheRomanfigureatthetopof each,thecardshownbeingtheSix ofHares.

Figure 8

Inbothofthemthereisagreatdecorativefacilityand cleveradaptationtotheformofthecard.Toindicatethe coincidenceofidea,inthenext(Fig.9)wehavearound cardfromIndiaoneoftheCoatecardsofapack,or moreproperlyseries,of120cards.Thematerialusedin theirmanufactureismattedvegetablefibrecoatedwith lacquerandpaintedbyhand.Mostoftheplayingcardsof Persiaarealsoround,andaresimilarlydecoratedbythe samemeans.Aboutadozenyearsagoroundplayingcards werepatentedinAmericaasanovelty,inignoranceofthe factthatcardsofthatshapehadprobablybeenincommon useintheEast,centuriesbeforethediscoveryofthatgreat andinventivecountry!

Figure 9

Asanillustration(Fig.10)ofthesuitsignsof SouthernEurope,wetakeacardfromaPortuguese packof1610,theCavalierdeBtons(Clubs);the othersuitsignsareSwords,Coins,andCups.The anatomyofthechargerandtheselfsatisfiedaspect oftheCavalierarestriking;andastotheformer,we areremindedofthebizarreexamplesofhippic adornmentwhich,onasummerBankHoliday,may beseenontheroadtoEppingForest.

Figure 10 Amongthesecondaryusestowhichplayingcardshave beenapplied,wefindthemaspoliticalweapons.Among suchcardsarethosewhichwereproducedto commemoratewhatishistoricallyknownastheTitus OatesPlotin1678,oneofthemostprominentincidents beingthemurderofSirEdmondburyGodfrey,whoishere shown(Fig.11),carriedonahorse,thedayafterhis murder,toPrimroseHill,wherethebodywasputintoa ditch,thecarryingonthehorseandthediscoveryinthe ditchbeingshownascoincident.Theywereproduced, probably,asoneofthemeansofinflamingthepublicmind

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Figure 14

Figure 15

againsttheRomanCatholics,whichledtotheexecution,amongothers,oftheViscount Staffordin1680.Asillustrationofcostumeandofstirringincident,thesecardsare,apart fromtheirintention,anadmirableandinterestingseries,andareworthstudyfromtheir historicandartisticaspects. Wecomenowtoplayingcardsdesignedasmethodsofeducation,ofwhichaconsiderable numberhavebeenproducedandwhichcoverthewidestpossiblerangefromcookery toastrology!Inthemiddleandlatterhalfoftheseventeenthcentury,England,Franceand Germanyaboundedinexamples,themostattractivebeingtheseriesofJeuxHistoriques, inventedbyDesmarests,amemberoftheFrenchAcademyactingundertheinstructionsof CardinalMazarinasaidstotheeducationoftheboyKing,LouisXIV.InFigs.12,13,14, and15aregivenexamplesfromthefourpackssodesigned,andtheyaffordagoodinstance oftheprimaryuseofcardsbeingsubordinatedtotheeducational.Thefirstoftheseisthe JeudeFables,withrepresentationsandshortnoticesoftheheroesandheroinesofclassic history,thefourKingsbeingJupiter,Neptune,Pluto,andSaturn.ThesecondistheJeude Geographie,thefoursuitsbeingformedbythedivisionoftheworldintofourquarters,each havingitsdistinctivegroupofthirteendesigns,withbriefgeographicaldescriptions;Great BritainbeingshownastheEightofHearts.IfdesignedbyanEnglishman,itwouldsurely havebeenasQueenofthatsuitthatourcountrywouldhaveappeared.Wehavethenthe JeudeRoisdeFrance,intendedtoteachthehistoryandsuccessionoftheKingsofFrance, whomwefinddepictedintheirnumericorder,fromPharamondtoLouisXIV.,withthe lengthoftheirreignsandshortbiographies. ThethirdandfourthofthesepacksaresingularinconsistingintheonecaseofallKings,and theotherofallQueens,intheJeudeReynesRenommes,thefamousQueensofhistory, fromtheQueenofShebadownward,furnishingthedesign,andwhoareclassifiedunderthe descriptionsofGood,Wise,Holy,Clever,Brave, Happy,Cruel,Licentious,Capricious,and Unfortunate;ourQueenElizabethbeingplacedas clever,andMaryStuartasunfortunate.They arebeautifulexamplesofdesignandworkmanship, andaretheworkoftheFlorentineartistengraver, StefanodelaBella. ThefoolishbusinessofHeraldryhassuppliedthe motivefornumerouspacksofcards.Twoonly, however,canbehereshown,thoughthereare instructiveexamplesofthelatterhalfofthe seventeenthandbeginningoftheeighteenth centuriesfromEngland,Scotland,France,Germany, andItaly.TheexamplegiveninFig.16isEnglish,of thedateof1690,andthefiftytwocardsofthepack giveusthearmsofthedifferentEuropeanStates, andofthepeersofEnglandandScotland.Apack similartothiswasengravedbyWalterScott,the

Figure 16

Edinburghgoldsmith,in1691,andisconfinedto theArmsofEngland,Scotland,Ireland,France, andthegreatScottishfamiliesofthatdate, preparedunderthedirectionoftheLyonKingof Arms,SirAlexanderErskine.TheFrench heraldicexample(Fig.17)isfromapackofthe timeofLouisXIV.,withthearmsoftheFrench nobilityandthenoblesofotherEuropean countries;thesuitsignsofthepackbeing FleurdeLis,Lions,Roses,andEagles. Caligraphy,even,hasnotbeenleftwithout recognition,forwehaveapack,publishedin Nuremberg,in1767,givingexamplesofwritten charactersandoffreehandpendrawing,toserve aswritingcopies.WeshowtheNineofHearts fromthispack(Fig.18),andtheeighteenth centurySouthGermangraphicideaofa Highlanderoftheperiodisamusing,andhis valorousattitudeissufficientlysatisfying. Biographyhas,too,itsplaceinthisplayingcard cosmography,thoughithasnotmanyexamples.The onewegive(Fig.19)isGerman,ofabout1730,andisfromapackwhichdepictsaseriesof headsofEmperors,poets,andhistorians,GreekandRomanasummaryoftheirlivesand occurrencesthereingivesustheirraisond'tre. Figure 17

Figure 18

Figure 19

Figure 20

Figure 21

OfGeographicalplayingcardsthereareseveralexamplesinthesecondhalfofthe seventeenthcentury.Theoneselectedforillustration(Fig.20)givesasectionalmapofoneof theEnglishcounties,eachofthefiftytwocardsofthepackhavingthemapofacountyof EnglandandWales,withitsgeographicallimitations.Theseareamongthemorerareofold playingcards,andtheirgradualdestructionwhenusedaseducationalmediawill,asinthe caseofhornbooks,andearlychildren'sbooksgenerally,accountforthisrarity.Perhapsthe mostinterestinggeographicalplayingcardswhichhavesurvivedthiscommonfate,though theyaretheultimararissimaofsuchcards,isthepackdesignedandengravedbyH. Winstanley,atLittlebury,inEssex,aswereadontheAceofHearts.Theyappeartohave beenintendedtoaffordinstructioningeographyandethnology.Eachofthecardshasa descriptiveaccountofoneoftheStatesorgreatcitiesoftheworld,andwehavetakenthe KingofHearts(Fig.21),withitsdescriptionofEnglandandtheEnglish,asthemost interesting.ThecostumesarethoseofthetimeofJamesII.,andtheviewgivesusOld LondonBridge,theChurchofSt.MaryOvery,onthesouthsideoftheThames,andthe Monument,thenrecentlyerectedatthenorthernendofthebridgetocommemoratetheGreat Fire,andwhichinducedPope'sindignantlines: WhereLondon'scolumn,pointingtotheskies Likeatallbully,liftsitsheadandlies. Thedateofthepackisabout1685,andithasanaddedinterestfromthefactthatitsdesigner wastheprojectorofthefirstEddystoneLighthouse,whereheperishedwhenitwas destroyedbyagreatstormin1703.

Figure 22

Figure 23

Figure 24

Figure 25

Music,too,isnotforgotten,thoughonplayingcardsitisseeninsmallerproportionthan otherofthearts.TothepopularityoftheBeggar'sOperaofJohnGay,thatsatiricalattack upontheGovernmentofSirRobertWalpole,weareindebtedforitssongsandmusic appearingasthemotifofthepack,fromwhichwegiveheretheQueenofSpades(Fig.22), andthewellthumbedcardsbeforeusshowthattheywerepopularfavourites.Theirdate maybetakenasnearlycoincidentwiththatoftheoperaitself,viz.,1728.Afurtherexample ofmusicalcardsisgiveninFig.23,fromaFrenchpackof1830,withitsprettypieceof costumeheadgear,anditscharacteristicwaltzmusic. FrancehasbeenprolificinwhatmaybetermedCartesdefantaisie,burlesqueandsatirical, notalwaysdesigned,however,withdueregardtotherefinementsofwellbehaved communities.Theyarealwaysspirited,andasspecimensofinventiveadaptationareworth notice.Theexampleshown(Fig.24)isfromapackoftheyear1818,andisgoodofitsclass. OftheseCartesdefantaisie,eachofthe cardproducingcountriesofEuropehasatdifferent datesproducedexamplesofvaryingdegreesof artisticvalue.Althoughnotthebestinpointof merit,themostgenerallyattractiveofthesearethe packsproducedintheyears180678and9,bythe Tbingenbookseller,Cotta,andwhichwere publishedinbookform,astheKartenAlmanack, andalsoasordinarypacks.Everycardhasadesign, inwhichthesuitsigns,orpips,arebroughtinas anintegralpart,andadmirableingenuityis displayedinthisadaptation;althoughnotthebestin theseries,wegivetheSixofHearts(Fig.25),as lendingitselfbesttothepurposeofreproduction, andasaffordingafairinstanceofthemethodof design. InEnglandnumerousexamplesoftheseillustrated playingcardshavebeenproducedofvarying degreesofartisticmerit,and,asoneofthemost

Figure 26

amusing,weselecttheKnaveofSpadesfromapackoftheyear1824(Fig.26).Thesecards areprintedfromcopperplates,andarecolouredbyhand,andshowmuchingenuityinthe adaptationofthedesigntotheformofthepips. Ofthesameclass,butwithmoretrueartisticfeelingandtreatmentthanthepreceding,we givetheDeuceofClubs,fromapackwithLondonCries(Fig.27),andanotherwithFables (Fig.28),bothofwhichdatefromtheearlieryearsofthelastcentury,theformerwiththe quaintcostumeandbadgeofawaterman,withhiscryofOars!oars!doyouwantaboat? InthemiddledistancethepiersofOldLondonBridge,andthehouseatitsfootwith overhanginggallery,makeapleasingoldtimepicture.TheFablescardsareapparently fromthedesignsofFrancisBarlow,andareprobablyengravedbyhim;althoughwefind uponsomeofthemthenameofJ.Kirk,who,however,wasthesellerofthecardsonly,and

who,aswasnotuncommonwiththevendorofthattime, inthiswayrobbedtheartistofwhathonourmightbelong tohiswork.Bothofthesepacksarerare;thatofthe Fablesisbelievedtobeunique.Ofadatesomequarter ofacenturyantecedenttothosejustdescribedwehavean amusingpack,inwhicheachcardhasacollectionofmoral sentences,aphorisms,oraworldlywisestory,orwe regretintheinterestsofgoodbehaviourtohavetoadd somethingverymuchthereverseofthem.Thelarger portionofthecardisoccupiedbyapictureofconsiderable excellenceinillustrationofthetext;andnotwithstanding thepeculiaritytowhichwehavereferredasattachingto

Figure 27

Figure 28 someofthem,thecardsareveryinterestingasstudiesof costumeandofthemannersofthetimeofwhatserved toamuseourancestorstwocenturiesagoandisa curiouscompoundsurvivalofPuritanteachingandthe licenseoftheRestorationperiod.Wegiveoneofthemin Fig.29. TheAceofClubs,showninFig.30,isfromapackissued inAmsterdamabout1710,andisagoodexampleofthe Dutchburlesquecardsoftheeighteenthcentury.The majorityofthemhavelocalallusions,themeaningof whichisnowlost;andmanyofthemareofacharacter whichwillnotbearreproduction.Abetterknownpackof

Figure 29

DutchcardsisthatsatirizingtheMississippi schemeof1716,andthevictimsofthenotorious JohnLawthebubblewhich,onitscollapse, fouryearslater,broughtruintosomany thousands. Ourspaceforbidsthetreatmentofplayingcards underanybuttheirpictorialaspects,thoughthe temptationisgreattoattemptsomedescription oftheirusefromanearlyperiodasinstruments ofdivinationorfortunetelling,forwhichinthe handsofthewisemanorwomanofvarious countriestheyarestillused,andtowhich primarypurposetheearlyTarotswere doubtlessapplied;but,asitisamongthemore curiousofsuchcards,wegivetheQueenof Heartsfromapackoftheimmediatepost Commonwealthperiod(Fig.31).Thefigureis calledSemiramiswithout,sofarascanbe seen,anyreason.Itisoneofamlangeofnames forcardsinwhichWatTylerandTychoBrahe rubshouldersinthesuitofSpades,andMahomet

Figure 30

andNimrodinthatofDiamonds!InthepackwefindtheKnaveofClubsnamedHewson (notthecardmakerofthatname),buthewhoissatirizedbyButlerasHewsontheCobbler. ElsewhereheiscalledOneeyedHewson.Heisshown withbutoneeyeinthecardbearinghisname,andasitis contemporary,itmaybeafairpresentmentoftheman who,whateverhisvices,managedunderCromwellto obtainhighhonours,andwhowasbyhimnominateda memberoftheHouseofLords.Thebitterprejudiceofthe timeisshowninthestorywhichistoldofHewson,thaton thedaytheKingwasbeheadedherodefromCharingCross totheRoyalExchangeproclaimingthatwhoevershould saythatCharlesStuartdiedwrongfullyshouldsuffer death.Amongthequasieducationalusesofplayingcards wefindthecuriousworkofDr.ThomasMurner,whose LogicaMemorativaChartiludium,publishedat Strassburgin1507,istheearliestinstanceknowntousofa distinctapplicationofplayingcardstoeducation,though theauthorexpresslydisclaimsanyknowledgeofcards. ThemethodusedbytheDoctorwastomakeeachcardan aidtomemory,thoughthemethodmusthavebeena severestrainofmemoryinitself.Oneofthemisheregiven (Fig.32),thesuitbeingtheGermanoneofBells(Schnellen). Figure 31

Itwouldseemthathardlyanybranchofhumanknowledge hadbeenoverlookedintheadaptationofplayingcardsto aneducationalpurpose,andtheywhostillhavethemin mindunderthedesignationoftheDevil'sbooks,maybe relievedtoknowthatBiblehistoryhasbeentaughtbythe meansofplayingcards.In1603therewaspublisheda BibleHistoryandChronology,underthetitleofthe GeistlicheKartenSpiel,where,muchasMurnerdidin theinstancewehavegivenabove,thecardswereusedas anaidtomemory,theauthorgivingtoeachofthesuit signsthedistinctiveappellationofsomecharacteror incidentinHolyWrit.AndmorerecentlyZuccarelli,one oftheoriginalmembersofourRoyalAcademy,designed andetchedapackofcardswiththesameintention. InSouthernGermanywefindinthelastcenturyplaying cardsspeciallypreparedforgiftsatweddingsandforuse atthefestivitiesattendingsuchevents.Thesecardsbore conventionalrepresentationsofthebride,thebridegroom, Figure 32 themusicians,thepriest,andtheguests,onhorsebackorin carriages,eachwithalaudatoryinscription.ThecardshowninFig.33isfromapackofthis kindofabout1740,theRomannumeralI.indicatingitasthefirstinaseriesofTarots numberedconsecutivelyfromI.toXXI.,theusualTarotdesignsbeingreplacedbythe weddingpicturesdescribedabove.Thecustomofpresentingguestswithapackofcardshas beenfollowedbytheWorshipfulCompanyof MakersofPlayingCards,whoattheirannual banquetgivetotheirguestssamplesofthe productionsofthecraftwithwhichtheyare identified,whicharespeciallydesignedforthe occasion. Toconcludethisarticlemuchtoolimitedtocover sointerestingasubjectwegiveanillustration (Fig.34)fromapackoffiftytwoplayingcardsof silvereverycardbeingengraveduponathinplate ofthatmetal.Theyareprobablytheworkofalate sixteenthcenturyGermangoldsmith,andare exquisiteexamplesofdesignandskillwiththe graver.Theyareinthepossessionofawellknown collectorofallthingsbeautiful,curious,andrare,by whosecourteouspermissionthisuniqueexample appearshere.

Figure 33

Figure 34

THEARMSOFTHEWORSHIPFULCOMPANY OFMAKERSOFPLAYINGCARDS,1629.