1811 Nixon Fuller Metastasis Transformation Playing Cards
A COMPLETE DECK 52/52
The vogue of transforming the pips of playing cards into an intriguing scene
originated in Germany is 1801.
This was a method of converting the regular, repetitive, standard playing
cards into something more interesting.
The transforming of cards caught on very quickly and proliferated
throughout the century and beyond.
Even today new innovations are being
conjured up and there is a growing trend for quality reproductions of earlier
decks - an excellent idea enabling all pockets to enjoy the artistry and
innovation.
It became a fireside hobby so besides published packs there are many hand
drawn transformation cards [ hand drawn on a regular pack ] offering a
uniqueness and revealing the scope of people's imagination.
There were two packs produced in the first quarter of the 19th Century with
the nomenclature of METASTASIS.
The first by John Nixon and published
by Fores in 1803
and this pack by S&J Fuller [ Temple of Fancy, Rathbone
Place, London ] in 1811.
The cards were sold in sheets for hand colouring and the similarity in packs I have seen leads to believe that there may have been a template for the colouring OR they were coloured by the same person, not too likely
Many of the pip cards, but not all, are like those from the earlier pack of
1803.
The condition of these cards is given below.
The background above is the image of
A wrapper for a Transformation pack showing a strewn pack of cards surmounted by a title card bearing the words "Metastasis, Transformation of Cards"
Hand-coloured etching 1811 held in the British Museum
© The Trustees of the British Museum
CONDITION:
The cards are used and are a made up pack of 49 cards cut from the original sheets and 3 cards cut from the originl sheets and card mounted - 2,3 and 6 of Hearts.
The 6 hearts is creased and there are minor blemishes in the pack: [ the scans are pretty good ]
hence the lower price.
The book by Albert Field
TRANSFORMATION PLAYING CARDS
is currently the definitive work on the subject and is available at a reasonable price on most Booksite Platforms.
Published by U.S. Games Systems Inc
Ref: M_1811_P39B
£3,750.00
