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European Playing Cards to 1901
French Suited German Engraved cards c1610 to 1650 with English Hand Tax Stamp
32 cards engraved cards by an unknown artist from a pack of 52 – initials IS or SI. Cards are hand coloured and reflect hunting and animal scenes from the serious to the comic – don’t you just love the 10 Spades with the cat fiddling as the mice dance aground at his feet !
Commenting on the cards in the United States Playing Card Companies collection Hargrave says
“Of cards with French suit signs in these German lands, there are many. The earliest one we have is a pack of 52 cards, from coper plates and coloured by hand, and most of them bear the monogram of an unknown artist. Besides the suit signs arranged in the usual manner they picture a day’s hunting across the field and through the forests of early seventeenth century Germany. The Kings and valets are debonair gentlemen and the Queens gracious little ladies. No other example of these cards are known to exist.” She then illustrates four of them and classifies them as “Hunting series, 1610”
Virginia Wayland states in the IPCS Journal Volume XIII, No 1 [ August 1979 ] that these cards must have been seen by John Lenthall as he followed the design in his Forest Cards [ Pack No: XXII ] often reversing the image.
Uniqueness is a word we don’t often use but in addition to this decks obvious rarity it also bears an English Hand Tax Stamp of c 1712 a Red Stock in Hand Stamp which would have been applied on importation.
Condition is varied and the high definition scans of the cards reveal all.
Insured Postage is free on this item.
REF: CNE4251
£4,000.00
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C L Wust c1910 Patience Karten No: 240 Playing Cards
French suited Oval Playing Cards
Ace of hearts bears the tex stamp eagle and the *’FUNFZIG PF.’ value, from Frankfurt/Main (‘No. 15’).
The dates are 1889 to 1918.
The court cards are double ended stylised ladies and gentlemen.
The cards are index, The 10s with an “X”.
The box is very attractive and has a Perfumery sellers stamp at the base
Cards [ complete 52/52 ] and Box in very good condition
Catalogue of the playing cards from thr factory C.L.Wust Frankfurt a.M. [ 1811-1927 ]
REF: PK240_15
£200.00
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C L Wust c1915 "Feldherren Karte Playing Cards
French suited Playing Cards
WWI pack with Kings & Jacks showing war leaders – the Queen representing the German Allies during the confrontation.
The Ace of Hearts carries the tax stamp of eagle and the ‘FUNFZIG PF.’ value, again from Frankfurt/Main (‘No. 15’).
The dates are 1889 to 1918.
Cards are in good played with condition.
Box is i very condition.
Catalogue of the playing cards from thr factory C.L.Wust Frankfurt a.M. [ 1811-1927 ]
REF: FK_79
£400.00
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C L Wust c1900 White House Pattern Playing Cards
With Shipping Advertising
French suited Playing Cards with indices – 10 bearing “X”
Cards are complete [ 32/32 ] and are in good condition.
Complete with Slip In Box which bears advertising for Norddeutscher Lloyd – Bremen
The reverse being the Wust Logo
Catalogue of the playing cards from thr factory C.L.Wust Frankfurt a.M. [ 1811-1927 ]
REF: PK240
£75.00
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C L Wust c1910 Mediaeval Playing Cards
French suited Oval Playing Cards
This was a popular design which was produced for many years.
The design of the King of Clubs is thought to be a Crusader whilst the Jacks resemble soldiers from the Middle Ages.
the pack number [ 3776 ] and the makers initials are on the Jack of Clubs.
Cards are in a played with condition. No bends or tears.
No box.
Catalogue of the playing cards from thr factory C.L.Wust Frankfurt a.M. [ 1811-1927 ]
REF: WME
£150.00
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C L Wust c1900 Saxon Pattern
German suited playing cards.
Early Saxon Pattern.
Incomplete 30/32 [ lacks 7 & 8 of Acorns.
tax stamp on the Ace of Hearts,
Small tear on the nine of Acorns other good condition.
No Box
Catalogue of the playing cards from thr factory C.L.Wust Frankfurt a.M. [ 1811-1927 ]
REF: WSP
£60.00
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Dondorf Comical Music Cards
Musikalisches Kartenspiel, Frankfurt am Main: Bernhard Dondorf, circa 1862,
A complete deck of 52 colour lithographed playing cards.
All card have two bars of music to the lower half, together with suit and value to the bottom right hand corner
Whilst the upper half of each court card has a comic character playing a musical instrument together with the suit sign and rank at the upper left.
The upper half of pip cards have a miniature playing card to left together a single colour.
The Ace of hearts with Italian tax stamp from 1862
*These are stamps in use from 1863 to 1874. The text is ‘REGNO D’ITALIA’ and ‘LEGGE 21 Sett 1862’, and the values are 30 resp. 50 Centesimi.
The cards are accompanied with front and back of the box, the front with a circular cut out to either show the tax card or retailers stamp below.
The vendor, in this case being “Cartoleria Prosino, 4 Via di Po, Torino” – their stamp appearing on the Ace of Diamonds.
The original instruction leaflet is included in French and German -the google translation of the French being
“”place any ace in the middle of the piano stand, then a figure at the left end, a seven at the right end, fill in the gaps with three dot cards two, three, four, five, six, eight, nine and ten, your choice, no matter the color or number of dots, and it will result in two dance pieces, which can be played without any difficulty””
There are two variants for this issue – this one bears the makers name on the Jack of Clubs – “B. DONDORF. Frankfurt a.M.”
There are no bends or tears BUT
The cards are dirty on the edges – it would seem to be dirt over the decades – you can judge from the pictures.
A complete deck of 52 colour lithographed playing cards.
All card have two bars of music to the lower half, together with suit and value to the bottom right hand corner
Whilst the upper half of each court card has a comic character playing a musical instrument together with the suit sign and rank at the upper left.
The upper half of pip cards have a miniature playing card to left together a single colour.
The Ace of hearts with Italian tax stamp from 1862
*These are stamps in use from 1863 to 1874. The text is ‘REGNO D’ITALIA’ and ‘LEGGE 21 Sett 1862’, and the values are 30 resp. 50 Centesimi.
The cards are accompanied with front and back of the box, the front with a circular cut out to either show the tax card or retailers stamp below.
The vendor, in this case being “Cartoleria Prosino, 4 Via di Po, Torino” – their stamp appearing on the Ace of Diamonds.
The original instruction leaflet is included in French and German -the google translation of the French being
“”place any ace in the middle of the piano stand, then a figure at the left end, a seven at the right end, fill in the gaps with three dot cards two, three, four, five, six, eight, nine and ten, your choice, no matter the color or number of dots, and it will result in two dance pieces, which can be played without any difficulty””
There are two variants for this issue – this one bears the makers name on the Jack of Clubs – “B. DONDORF. Frankfurt a.M.”
There are no bends or tears BUT
The cards are dirty on the edges – it would seem to be dirt over the decades – you can judge from the pictures.
Details on all major countries tax stamps - dates and usage can be found on the excellent site - http://www.endebrock.de/pers-home.html
REF: DMC
£550.00
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Cartes Comiques complete deck of Dondorf’s 1860 Playing Cards
I believe this was the first Chromolithograph pack produced by Dondorf and herolded the start of some spectacular cards by Bernard Dondorf.
The cards are well worth agood look even if you have no intention of buying as the Comiques are entertaining and delightful.
This pack was printed in 1860. It was reproduced sometime in the 1870s with softer backgrounds and four adjusted designs for the King of Clubs, Queen of Hearts, Queen of Spades and the Five of Clubs – the original designed were generally regarded as slightly obscene – see the dogs raised leg on the King of Clubs.
The deck is in played with condition with surface soiling. The Ace of Hearts has suffered a cut on the left hand side [ see blown up picture ] which has been repaired but there is no mark to the back so this was perhaps a crack. All cards are without bends or damage apart from the AH mentioned.
The backs are printed with a representation of a man and girl at a casement, their faces forming aces of hearts and diamonds – in Gold and Purple.
Postage at cost
REF: Cartes Comiques
£425.00
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c1812 French Suited Piquet Playing Cards from Switzerland - D.V a Lausanne
Full pack 32/32, Piquet Pack, of Playing Cards made in Switzerland c1810. Printed from woodblocks and stenciled coloured. French suited and made by “D V a Lausanne” shown on the Jack of Clubs.[ David Vachet “Cadet”, cardmaker in Lausanne before 1850 – our thanks to Walter Haas ].
The c1812 Tax stamp, on the Ace of Hearts, is from Canton Vaud [ CANT.DE /VAUD ] [ thanks to Peter Endebrock http://www.endebrock.de/ ] and the Jack of Hearts shows the symbol of the Vaud Canton “Liberte et Patre”
The cards have plain backs and are in excellent [ 9/10 ] condition.
Insured Postage is free on this item.
REF: CNE1115
£1,250.00
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C L Wust Carte Royales Patience Playing Cards
Twin Decks in Staw Box c1860
Two packs of 52 Carte Royales Patience Packs by C L Wust c 1865.
Each housed in a book style container, with straw spine, which fit into it’s individual slot within a double straw box.
The cards measure 68mm by 48mm one pack having blue patterns and the other red and are in near mint condition.
The dark stained box is in very good condition. One insert complete the other with Spine and one edge.
Source Playing cards from the C.L.Wust Frankfurt A.M (1811 -1927 )
Catalogue of the exhibition held at the Nationaal Museum van de Speelkaart Turnhout, Belgium.
Compiled by Martin Shaw and paul Symons.
REF: CLW_1865_P
£400.00
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Imperial Playing Card Factory issue of c1865
Imperial Foundling Hospital in St Petersburg
The Imperial Playing-Card Factory was founded in 1817 and it’s revenues were used to support the Foundling Hospitals of St. Petersburg and of Moscow.
The first hospital was built in Moscow in 1764 a second institution was established in St. Petersburg in 1770.
Cards with pseudo-medieval costumes manufactured by the Imperial Playing Card Factory, St Petersburg,
The Ace of diamonds contains the stamp of the Imperial Foundling Hospital in St Petersburg to which some profits were given.
52 cards complete – Chromolithography – see condition below
Cards measure 58 mm by 89 mm
CONDITION Slightly used but several backs have paper scrape loss, AD has edge tears, JD and JC have pin holes, AS and JD are cut at bottom, KC has small edge tear, and AC, AH and 10D have stains.
Source: Russian playing card history: from the beginnings to 1917” originally published in The Playing Card, 13 (4), May 1985, pp. 97-113 and reprinted in The Playing Card, 40 (1), Jul-Sep 2011, pp. 41-57.
REF: IPCF_1865
£300.00
c1816 Jeu des Drapeaux Playing Cards
c1816 Jeu des Drapeaux Playing Cards
This is a piquet deck, 32/32, playing card set of non standard format.
The cards have been cut from sheets and mounted, then bound in Morocco leather.
The cards are from the magnificent collection of Rimington-Wilson which was auctioned in the 1970s, this pack being purchased by Sylvia Mann.
See IPCS article, by Mann, A CHOICE COLLECTION OF PLAYING-CARDS
The hand coloured cards depict four armies, Hearts depict the French; Spades, the English, Scottish and Irish troops; Diamonds the German troops and Clubs the Russian soldiers. The cards are depicted on the banners carried by the soldiers.
The court cards have Queens as female figures on the flags, the Kings shows Generals and their aids and the Jacks portray single solders from their respective countries.
The Ace cards depict soldiers with cannon(s) all other cards show rows of soldiers in various positions.
Good condition throughout – scans have slight blurring due to difficulty of scanning books.
Insured Postage is free on this item.
REF:CNE5387
£450.00
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c1644 Jeu de Geographie by Henry le Gras ( Geographic Playing Cards )
This is the earliest of the Geographic Playing Cards published by Henry le Gras.
They are unsuited but with indices 1 to 10. Court cards are not indexed.
All cards are hand coloured.
This pack consists of 51/52 and lacks Ace of African and title card, both present in black and white facsimile.
The cards have had borders trimmed and are mounted and bound in Red Morocco leather.
The cards are from the magnificent collection of Rimington-Wilson which was auctioned in the 1970s, this pack being purchased by Sylvia Mann.
There is very minor foxing here and there and two cards have minor surface damage, these have been scanned.
Book size
An extremely scarce 17th century example of early pictorial, non-standard playing cards.
Insured Postage is free on this item.
REF: CNE5385
£2,000.00
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J Maillard & Filhos Portuguese Playing Cards c 1885
Complete pack of 32/32 very near MINT Portuguese Playing Cards manufactures in Lisboa by J Maillard & Filhos.
These Double ended cards are stencilled Coloured – the Aces portraying animals and landscapes.
The courts and Aces are really quite mendicant.
The cards have crisp square corners without Indices and measure 90 x 58mm.
Backs are dotted wavy lines – blue.
Cards are in ‘as issued’ condition – there is no box
REF: JMLB
£400.00
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c1900 C L WUST PLAYING CARDS
52 Cards plus box – Chromolithography
Suisse Patience Cards
Cards are in very good condition.
Box has some wear on each side
First Class / Air Mail Postage: to UK – £4.45 / to Europe – £8.00 / to Other £10.95 Insurance is an additional £5.00 to any Country for the first £250.00 We combine postage and only charge our costs.
REF: CNE4382
£90.00
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Chi Chi Pai Playing Cards c1890 - A Brick of Ten Packs
This is a Brick of ten packs of the cards titled Chi Chi Pai
Each pack contains 60 cards and is sealed in a wrapper – so 600 cards in total.
The ten pack are then enclosed and sealed in this wrapper.
These cards were for export to Indonesia and were produced by Bierman in Turnhout c 1895
CONDITION IS EXTRA FINE – UNOPENED – CARDS SHOWN ARE STOCK CARDS
POSTAGE AT COST - INSURANCE AVAILABLE ALSO AT COST
REF: Chi Chi Pai
£20.00
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C1880 Four Continents Playing Cards by B Dondorf Frankfurt - Boxed
This is pack number 207 made in four different variants- this is variant number 3 c1880
52 cards complete – Chromolithography – excellent background and foreground images.
Square corners without indices. 94×64 mm
Makers name on Jack of clubs and each of the Aces.
The four continents are represented as below
Diamonds – depiction of 16th Century Germany
Clubs – America at the time of it’s discovery
Heart suit represents India and
Spades show the might Ottoman Empire.
Cards are in very good condition 8+/10 – no damage or markings
Box has some usage wear but is OK and intact
References:
Cary, Braun
REF: LS207-3_007
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12 Court Cards from a 1792 Pack of Playing Cards by Minot of Paris
This is an offer of the 12 Court cards from this 1792 issue of a revolutionary pack of playing cards by Minot of Paris.
[ Jeu de cartes au portrait de Paris révolutionnaire dit du type SVB ]
Woodblock printed and hand stencilled coloured.
Plain reverse
Good condition with a few issues – namely
JC some surface disturbances
QC surface disturbance to pip
JS worm hole between pip and face
[ Jeu de cartes au portrait de Paris révolutionnaire dit du type SVB ]
Woodblock printed and hand stencilled coloured.
Plain reverse
Good condition with a few issues – namely
JC some surface disturbances
QC surface disturbance to pip
JS worm hole between pip and face
Postage at cost
REF: Minot-008
6 Court Cards from a Revolutionary Pack of 1791-94
Anonymous maker of playing cards in Lyon 1791 -1794
Six Courts cards woodblock printed and stencilled coloured
Back eveidence evidence secondary use as teaching aid
Cards are in very good condition
Six Courts cards woodblock printed and stencilled coloured
Back eveidence evidence secondary use as teaching aid
Cards are in very good condition
Postage at cost
REF: lyon_006
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19 Mixed Revolutionary Cards 18th Century
This is just the front, printed sheet, of the cards which have lost their pasteboard backing – delaminated.
There are 19 of them all 18th Century and you can see the condition of them from the photos which, in the main, is very good.
Postage at cost
REF: Mixed_Courts_054
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c1895 Cartes Indiennes - Art Nouveau - Mint Taxed Wrapped - Boxed - Orient Express
This deck was produced by B P Grimaud, Paris, c1895 for guests of the Orient Express Train.
The cards shown are from an opened deck but are the same.
The cards have no indices. The Kings represents Maharajas, the Queen represent Maharanes and the Jacks musicians and guards.
cards have gorgious backgrounds.
Ref: Fournier 369, Segeth pp 32-33, Cary Collection 368
REF: CI1895_006
Official Portrait David Paris 1810 Playing Cards
Official Portrait David Paris 1810 – By David/Mongez – Imperial Eagle Watermark.
This is the first issue of Playing Cards following those made during the Revolution, a return to the Standard French suit signs – Designed by Andrieli, Jaques, Louis David, Moneez.
The 32 card deck known as the Official Portrait pack measures 82mm x 55mm with plain backs and the paper is mater marked with the Imperial Eagle
Letterpress printed and hand stencilled colouring with a clumsiness that speaks to early post revolutionary times.
The Jack of Spades lists the publisher and designers.
The condition is clean with the occasional non-distracting small foxing mark.
Insured Postage is free on this item.
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REF: CNE5460-0052
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