Anastasiia: Major Project: Old and Modern Cards

One of De la Rue's earliest packs of playing cards c.1832, printed by letter-press but imitating traditional woodblock printing. The court figures are full-length. The 'Old Frizzle' Ace of Spades carries the duty of one shilling at the top and has the text "By His Majesty's Royal Letters Patent" printed at the bottom which had been granted to Thomas de la Rue by King William IV for 'certain improvements in making or manufacturing and ornamenting playing cards.' This Ace, with the extra legend, was registered in August 1832, whereas before the patent was granted a normal 'Old Frizzle' Ace was used. The Aces of Spades were printed in the Stamp Office at Somerset House and an account of the numbers of Aces was kept there by the authorities.

Another pack of cards by de la Rue.

TODAY nothing remains of Charles Goodall’s Camden Works, where three-quarters of the playing cards printed in Britain were produced. However, the court card faces (show below) have become household figures in casinos and salons around the world...

As a child, the founder of the dynasty, Charles Goodall (1785-1851), came to London from Northampton, and was apprenticed to John William Hunt, head of the old and established playing card manufacturer Hunt & Sons, in 1801. He seems to have remained in their employ until 1820.

The Goodall business was first established in Soho in 1820, printing playing cards and message cards. The earliest cards were traditional in appearance, and resemble those of Hunt. In 1826 increasing business and a growing family necessitated a move to larger premises, and then again, during the 1830s, the firm expanded into premises in what was then Great College Street. The main factory lay behind the terrace in a building which had formerly been a gun factory and was later used for the production of steam engines. At around this time, Goodall started experimenting with 'modernised' and other court card designs which gradually evolved into those we are familiar with today.

A portrait of Lancelot from the takes of King Arthur features in this reproduction of a medieval playing card, printed in a book entitled ‘Facts And Speculations On The Origin And History Of Playing Cards’, which was published in 1848.

These playing cards are also German, but from a far earlier age. Germany has a long tradition of making playing cards, which often featured characteristic design elements. Eastern and southern parts of Germany have distinctive cards with suits of Hearts, Bells, Leaves and Acorns instead of the more widespread Hearts, Diamonds, Spades, and Clubs.

Krazy Kat features in this card from the All Star Comics Card Game, which was made by Whitman Publishing in 1934. The game features a variety of popular cartoon characters from the 1920s and 30s.

Old Czech 32 PLAYING CARDS deck hraci karty jednohlave 1960

Old Russian Seasons 52 PLAYING CARDS deck 1974 year

1970s playing cards produced by El Al and beautifully illustrated by Jean David. They depict Kings, Queens and Heroes from Israel’s biblical past, and come as a boxed pair of sets with an illustrated cardboard sleeve. I had a look around for some clearer photos so I could get a better look, or even a good source of info on Jean David, but there’s not much out there at all.

The playing cards feature bottles of whisky, tumblers etc., along with Gráfica 2001's ‘Classic’ Spanish-suited court cards, only with the same 3 images being repeated in each suit.

Playing cards come in all colours, shapes and sizes. Circular playing cards have traditionally been the norm in India, while round and oval playing cards have existed in Europe since at least the 15th Century. This is a more recent deck, from the 20th Century.

This deck of cards from Soviet Russia has a design aesthetic rooted in the Russian Orthodox Church’s tradition of icon painting, with a decorative, jewel-like surface set against a black background. The deck was produced to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Leningrad Playing card factory.

There’s a delightful, psychedelic fluidity to the paintings that decorate these German playing cards from the 1970s.

Russian artist Elena Dolgova, who works under the name of Albicocca, designed this deck of playing cards with sensuous themes from The Arabian Nights.

These two kings are from an astonishingly beautiful set of playing cards designed and illustrated by Ukrainian artist Vladislav Erko. The images and characters are based on Ukraine’s folklore and traditional dress.