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Royal Household Playing Cards - made for George VI [ 1895 - 1952 ]
Six Pack Bezique -Mint
Royal Household Playing Cards were made for the use of the Royal Family and their guests at the Royal Palaces and cottages – they mainly come into the public domain from Household Staff usually when that member has passed on.
I never use the word unique but this item comes close to it – very rare let’s say.
It is a rather plain box made to hold six packs of playing cards in packs of 32 [ A K Q J 10 9 8 7 of each suit plus a Joker ] made by Thomas De La Rue & co Ltd.
These packs are used to play Bezique – this item is used to play Six Pack Bezique.
See explanation and rules of the game at
https://web.archive.org/web/20040905084431/www.sit.wisc.edu/~cdherring/bezique.htm
[ From the Esquire Magazine of 1946 – SIX-PACK BEZIQUE “A fast, high-scoring cousin of Pinochle whose addicts include Winston Churchill and the Riviera-Newport-Biarritz set – OCTOBER 11946
The cards have a regular face for the period, the black backs bear the Royal Cypher for George VI with a triple gold inset border.
The cards are MINT – five being in the original wrapping the sixth loose for scanning; but also unused.
The box is very plain, as is customary with Household Playing Cards- purpose built – in very good condition and certainly unusual.
Postage at cost
REF: RH6PB
£300.00
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Double Pack of Royal Household Playing Cards
made for Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother [ 1900 - 2002 ]
Bridge Cards size
Royal Household Playing Cards were made for the use of the Royal Family and their guests at the Royal Palaces and cottages – they mainly come into the public domain from Household Staff usually when that member has passed on.
This is double pack of ‘Bridge’ playing cards.
The cards have a regular face for the period.
There are two distinct coloured backs – one in Green and one in Yellow both bearing the joint cypher, E for Elizabeth, P for Philip, from before the late Queen’s accession
Most probably only available in the quest rooms of Kensington Palace.
Each has four gold inset borders.
These card back also show the popular use pneumatic backs the introduction of which was announced in The Times 16th February 1891
We have received from Messrs. Thomas de la Rue & Co. specimens of playing cards made on a principle which they have patented and describe as “pneumatic”, its object to facilitate shuffling and dealing, by preventing the cards from adhering to one another while they are manipulated. The invention consists of a special preparation of the surfaces of the cards. The fronts are highly finished while the backs are minutely grooved or indented all over, so as to provide an air space between the cards and a roughened surface, which acts as a resistance for the thumb in dealing. The cards slide off one another with ease and rapidity.”
The card are mint – the box is plain, as is customary with Household Playing Cards, and in good condition.
Postage at cost
REF: RHBC_052
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Queen Mother & George VI hand signed Xmas Card 1947
and their Playing Cards
We try and steer away from the word ‘unique’ but I do not think you will see this offer in any shop or website anywhere in the world
It consists of a bi-fold card with the front of the card exhibiting the Imperial State Crown in gilt relief.
The reverse has the manufacturers imprint, the famous Raphael Tuck.
The inside reveals an informal photograph of the Royal Family for Xmas 1947.
Gathered round the piano are the Late Queen Mother [ Queen Elizabeth ], the Late King George VI, the late Princess Margaret and the present Queen, Elizabeth II.
With Best Wishes for
Christmas and the New Year
[ Handwritten ] 1947
Hand Written Signatures.
George R.I. [ and ] Elizabeth R
The other inside page shows the 1947 Xmas Greeting with the hand signature of the King and Queen. The card is in fine condition.
Together with this very early Xmas Card are two packs of mint playing cards
[ 52 plus Joker for each ]
each pack bears a Royal Cipher, one for the King and one for the Queen.
These are standard bridge size cards and were printed for exclusive use of the Royal Family at the various Royal Households or whilst travelling.
REF: MRO0842_008
