c1688 2nd edition - The Arms of English Peers Playing Cards.

Most cards have four coats of Arms with the names of their bearers
The playing cards can be dated by certain cards [ no legend on the Price of Hearts]

CIP3779

c1710-1720 - Warter/Lendhall or Lenthall Proverb Playing Cards (26/52)

Most probably published during the period 1710 - 1720 for there is no Ace of Spades to determine if tax was applicable.

The plates were changed after the first publication (in 1698) as some "had given distaste". The cards were probably reprinted a number of times as they were advertised through to 1720 s

The cards are engraved and show a well known proverb with a detailed engraved picture. The same proverbs are used in the earlier pack but some narratives are changed and in some case the pip values are also changed - ie 7 Clubs has a faint engraving of Queen at the top. Interestingly the many other known Proverb cards recorded have stencilled pips over the small engraved pips or hashed symbols -only one other part set with pips similar to this appears to exist (Guildhall Library) and this has miniature insert cards rather than the words for the court cards.

The proverbs are fairly standard ie "Never Look a Gift Horse In the Mouth" but often the accompanying picture does not always seem relevant - The cards have odd stains - there was a paper worm in this deck as there a series of small holes which showed the route that he used to chew his way out.

All cards are affected - but apart for this there is no damage except one crease card

CIP3775

c1715 Lenthall No XXIII "Pastime Cards"

43/52 - described as exhibiting morals, precepts, fancies and tales
These cards were first published in 1692 - John Lenthall appears to have obtained the plates c1715.
The Wayland's identified three different version of this pack - this seems to e a mixture of version 2 and 3 - The two naked bodies on the Jack of Spades have been covered in net - by hatching over the figures

The couple on the queen of clubs are standing not lying in the kitchen garden - However the Jack of Diamonds has the original wording.

The condition of the cards is good ++ 9 cards have been hand coloured and so probably come from a different deck (note this does not include any of the cards specifically mentioned above) of these cards 4 are separated, 2 cards also have corners missing otherwise odd nicks but no heavy damage or soiling all the details can be clearly read.

Red pips are hand stencilled. Courts are a variation of Standard British Courts with fleur de lils between jack of clubs and diamonds feet and the Queen of Clubs holding a squirrel.
Tthe Queen of Diamonds a bird.
There is no tax stamp on the Ace of Spades or King of Spades where it has been found (The sun features on this card and could make it appear the most import card in the pack which was were the tax stamp was placed from 1711 to 1718)
This implies that the deck was either made prior to 1711 or possibly stamped on a missing card dating it to prior to 1718.
Nno firm dates appear to be known when the changes were made - but after the death of Queen Anne seems a reasonable guess.

The social history stories gained from this deck is wonderful as well as the crudity that existed in that period.

It didn't seem to have the social politeness that occured later.

The cards were sold in Toy Shops and the suits described as "sober morals" on diamonds, "fancies" on Spades, "pithy tales" on clubs with "delightful Figures to humor the Merry and Wise" and precepts on Hearts

c1720 -1745 All the Bubbles Pictorial Playing Cards

Condition is very good - 50/52 missing Ace of Spades and 3of Diamonds.
These cards are engraved cards - black or red .

They illustrate in a factual manner some of genuine and spurious projects that occurred during this period. The title of the project appears in the top line or two. The four line satirical verse at the bottom has been cut off - presumably as politically incorrect or offensive to those who suffered the consequences of a particular 'bubble'.

Two of the title lines appear to have been blanked out on purpose - "Bassard" before children (Queen of Spades) and "An inoffensive way of emptying House of Office" (King of Spades) which referred to the gunpowder plot - The cards measure 2.15 inch by 3.75 inches - the small inset card .5 by .75 inches - These miniature courts are standard English - slightly simplified, but engraved in detail -one card has a crease otherwise condition is very good.

The publisher is Tho Bowles, Print seller in St Paul's Churchyard & Eman. Bowen next to the King of Spain's Head (advertisement of 12 March 1720 in Mist's Weekly Journal)

£1,500.00

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CIP 3778

c1720 Lenthall's Arithmetical Playing Cards

Partial pack of these rare cards (23/52), first published by Warter in 1707 and remained in his and Lenthall's control until 1723
This cards obviously did not sell particularly well and all known packs have the "Stock in Hand " Stamp on the Ace of Diamonds (stamp in 1712), this would have been the leading card of the pack, this despite the pack being advertised well into the 1720s.

The pack was an instruction pack with value to traders ie addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, reduction and the rule of three.
Others include liquid measure, Troy Weight, Dry Measure and Cloth Measure - there are lots of question and worked examples all in long hand converting pounds to farthings etc

This pack consists of 8 clubs, 6 diamonds, 5 hearts, 4 spades - cards measure approx 3 by 2 inches, the insert suit card is approx 0.5 by 0.75 inches - all on the right hand side within the heavy border that is on all cards.

Fleur de lils between Jacks feet, slim waisted queens (not hearts).
2 cards lightly creased, one missing the backing and damage to the border + creasing, otherwise condition is good - no narrative missing so all the full details can be absorbed!!!

Again of great social interest as it shows the type of sales//deals done during the period - 4 reasonably complete decks known 2 in museum

CIP3777

c1723 Delightful Playing Cards (13/52)

A partial deck of 13 out of 52.

First advertised 24-26th December 1723 "Delightful Cards, containing variety of entertainment for young Ladies and Gentlemen who wil be agreeably diverted price two shillings a pack"

Cards have been described as satirical in the style of Hogarth - Hogarth was beginning to be notice at this time and could have been involved with the design of the cards.

The illustration are very typical of life in the 18th century a mixture of love, War and The Classics.
Cards measure 3 by 2.1 inches - insert suit card 0.5 by 0.75 inches - all approx.
Ace of Spades is transparent - all others hid the picture beneath them

Courts cards are very detailed as are the complete engraved card.

Interestingly of the 9 partial or complete packs known only two had tax stamps - which is surprising - this partial deck while containing the Ace of Spades is not tax stamped

This partial deck was old in auction 18th May 1914 - from the Hodgkin Collection.

CIP 3774

C1740s Illustrated Playing Cards -

30/52 measuring 2.125 by 3.125 inches with insert card of .5 by .75 inches approx - The hand stamp would date the cards between 1715/18 and 1745 - The cards are engraved and the style is a two/three line description at the top which describes the picture on the card and a four line description at the bottom which gives more details about the saint and is most comic than respectful. The courts is the left hand corner are British Standard - Queens have very slim waists - all are drawn in detail - red pips are hand colored. - Engraving on the cards is very detailed and interesting
Condition is very good - odd non- distracting dirty marks - no damage or creases.

St Denis carries his Head in his Hands & gives it to a poor Woman".
"St Denis Martyr'd and when dead,In his own hand did bring his head And on a Woman it bestow'd a Fat Calves head had done more good"

We cannot find any record of this deck.

CIP3771

C1750s or earlier "Forrest Cards"

48/52 - Small Playing Cards with a named animal or bird on each card (no logic of which were on black or red cards) and small suit card in top left hand corner - fleur de lils between legs of JD and JC - JC has a feather in his hat - cards measure 1.5 by 2.5 inches.

The small playing card measures 7/8 inch by 5/8 inch approximately. The cards are copper engraved. The red suits are printed in red (heart pips are upside down). Courts and black suits printed in black and crudely hand colored. Courts are crude version of English Pattern.

Deck is missing 4 cards: Ace of Spades, King of Clubs, 2 and 10 diamonds.
The cards are lightly used, three with heavy creases but otherwise very good condition.

Lenthall produced a similar styled animal deck during the period 1713 to 1754 - his known decks have birds on red suits and animals on black suits so it seem unlikely he produced this pack himself, however the deck was still being advertised after he went out of business in 1733 and this may have been a version sold during this period and under his name.

A pack similar to this was described in Antiques magazine in 1956 - the ace in that version was designednot to appear to be an ace and so not to required to be taxed - and there is also an example in the Guildhall museum.

Only two packs of the Lenthall cards + possibly three version of this deck are know to exist so it seems likely that there was an appeal to children (although initially they were produced for "Young Gentlemen & Ladys, who are Lovers of Ingenuity") - these packs were advertised as being sold in three toy shops by 1754

References from The Journal of the Playing Cards Society (IPCS).

1769-1802 PACK DEALING WITH KINGS & QUEENS AND GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

50/?52 (see end of this description) -This deck is interesting and unusual - most cards carry a full length picture of an English monarch - with details of start of reign, duration in years, months and days

There are 4 cards covering the early period (2-5 H - A Druid, Ancient Briton, Pict, Briton Warrier)

The series then starts at William I and ends with George III - The order is not exactly numerical but can be followed easily using heart, club and diamond suits and spade courts - The spade pip cards are totally different carrying useful information such as alphabet, pence table, multiplication tables etc.

The suit values are shown by a small card in the top left hand corner - full length courts - single figure of an early design - Four cards do not have a picture card on them- these cards can be identified from where they fit into the monarch cycle Ace of Clubs, 10C, 10H, and from content - Ace of Spades.

There is no Ace of Hearts or Ace of Diamonds. There are three known examples of this deck - 2 examples in V&A and one in Worshipful Collection and all these decks are missing these 2 cards, which logically appear to be AD and AH - what these cards would represent is not obvious - so it is possible that this is a 50 card deck - planned to add at a later date for additional monarchs (some of the games of this period did have blank (or advertising spaces that in later editions were completed with George IV and Victoria).

On the V&A version 9D has on it "Willerton's Toy Shop Bond Street (London)" - On this deck on 9S "Sold at Willertons Toy Shop Bonb street" (sic). Of the 40 personal & royalty cards 7 are uncolored - the rest are hand colored.

The cards are line engraved and in very good condition - the uncolored cards being in better condition - no damage - just odd non-distracting dirty marks caused by use.

c1806 John Wallis Comic Cards - 52 Droll Characters for the Amusement of Children with Playing Card inserts

The cards measure 1.5 by 2.25 inches approx - Each card has a hand painted character on it with two line verse + a small insert card - The art work in wonderful and shows so much about the style of the period - These cards are in their original box , missing bottom flap - with original label.

The cards are complete [ 52/52 ] The condition is worn - extremely rare.

Very little is known about this pack, we have been unable to trace it in any of the major collections.
The first spade card is very interesting as it bears no 'Spade Suit' for had it done so it would have been liable for Duty which would have place it outside the pockets of the intended audience - the children's market.

CIP4447

Hodges Geographical Playing Cards 1827/1828

This complete pack of 52 cards represents a major change in English playing cards for although each card bears the suit signs and numerals they also contain country maps for the pip cards and full length hand colored drawings of dignitaries for the court cards; the backs are plain.

This pack that was the "New Royal Playing Cards", commonly referred to as Hodges Geographical, was printed by W Davy of Gilbert Street, Oxford St, London for Charles Hodges of Portman Street, London a bookseller and stationer.

The Ace of Spades is a Duty Ace and since neither Hodges nor Davey had Duty Aces registered at the Revenue Offices they had a local maker provide the required Ace of Spades for them, that was Stopforth & Son and the Ace is of the Old Frizzle type and carries duty of ONE SHILLING and was registered on the 21st June 1828.

The suits have three 'non-standard' suit signs. Spades being blue pike heads, Clubs being green shamrocks and the diamond suit is gold colored.

Hodges had partly copied these designs, and certainly the idea, from a French pack of playing cards published in 1825.

The suits represent the four continents. Hearts for Europe, Diamonds for Asia, Clubs [ Shamrocks ] for Africa and Spades [ pike heads ] for America.

The court cards represent the following notables in their respective continents.
Hearts, George IV [ Great Britain ], Catherine II [ Russia ], Robespierre [ France ].
Spades, Washington, Neala [ Canada ], Telasco [ Mexico ].
Diamonds, Kien Long [ Chine ], Statira [ Persia ], Hyder Ali [ Mysore ].
Clubs, Saladin [ Egypt ], Zulema [ Algiers ], Moroab [ Morocco ].

The original box, in itself very rare as few survived, has a few scuffs. It is of a telescope construction and has on the top front - Royal Arms with "New Royal Playing Cards patronized by His Majesty 1827" on the bottom part.
The back of the box has, on the upper part, a circle with the sun at its center and the signs of the Zodiac surrounding it [ Hopdges other famous pack of playing cards had an astronomical theme ]. The bottom portion is inscribed "London, Printed and Published by Charles Hodges Card Maker to His Majesty, 27 Portman St, Portman Square".

The cards are in very good condition. The odd non-distracting marks are evident and can be seen in the scans. The colours, mingled with gold paint, are exceptional.

Cards are gold edged and evidence some wearing off of the gilt on the corners.

CSB 4362X

c1861 Floral Playing Cards Rock Bros

This is the TWELVE Court Cards of the Floral Suit design deck of c 1861 - Produced by Rock Brothers & Payne
It is 12 Cards only. The cards are in near mint condition.
These cards are wonderfully coloured.

The following is an extract from "The Stationer" [possibly]

""Messrs Rock, Brothers & Payne have sent us a sample pack of their - New Floral Playing Cards, published under the patronage of H.R.H. - the Princess of Wales who, more than ever at this moment*, - appropriately figures as the Queen of Hearts or, as perhaps we ought to say - of Roses. For these cards are not floral in the sense in which that word - is generally applied by our cardmakers, since the backs display that absence - of colour so much admired at the Clubs while on the faces may be - seen Roses, Pinks, Violets and Heart's-ease, in the place of hearts, - diamonds, spades and clubs - a pleasant substitution for Circles where - thoughts of sweet flowers are ever welcome and where revokes - with fear of which cards might inspire serious players, - only add to the joy of the game. The court cards are - novel in design, and, we need hardly add, - excellent specimens of colour printing"" - *[ we surmise this refers to the death of Prince Albert ]

£750.00

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