Kimberley's Royal National Patriotic Playing Cards

Royal National Patriotic playing cards, David Kimberley & Sons, Birmingham, c.1892-1902

“They differ from ordinary cards in having combined with each suit a special distinct nationality of style and appearance. Instead of the ordinary Ace card, I make an Ace which exhibits an illustration of the representative flag of that suit's nationality. Instead of the normal King, Queen and Knave I propose to place a good portrait of the rulers or representatives of the countries indicated...”

Kimberley's “National Patriotic” playing cards represent four Nations: England, America, France and Germany. DIAMONDS represent England, HEARTS represent America, SPADES represent France and CLUBS represent Germany. The ACE card of each suit represents the ‘Royal Standard’ of each Nation. For England (Diamonds) the Union Jack; for America (Hearts) the Stars and Stripes; for France (Spades) the National Colours and for Germany (Clubs) their Royal Standard. Courts represent contemporary and past royalty; aces are decorated with flags, usually four, the suits represent America, France, England and Germany, colour lithography, rounded edges, gilt edges. The backs show an array of clocks in blue, white and gold.

The cards bear no advertising, nor is there any indication that the cards were intended for commemorative purposes. The fact that they ran into at least four distinct editions suggests they were popular during their nine or ten years of production, i.e. c.1892-c.1902. David Kimberley & Sons, who published the cards, were not previously printers or publishers but manufacturers of carpenters' sawa and planes in Birmingham at that time.

Above: Kimberley's Royal National Patriotic playing cards, from an edition of c.1899. The Jack of Hearts is a typical representative from the United States Navy of the time. The King of Clubs shows Kaiser Wilhelm II. Unlike the first edition which was printed in luxurious colour lithography including gold, the designs here are rendered by means of fine outlines, stipple printed in black, with areas of mainly flat colour. The back design in this edition features a clock design ~ click image to zoom ~ and the set has an additional red descriptive card.

The numerals follow a scheme proposed by Kimberley in his patent application of 1892: a large suit-sign occupies the centre of the card, with the numeric value voided in it twice. The pack has non-standard aces, non-standard courts, non-standard colours for pips (spades are blue, hearts maroon) and the pips on the numeral cards occupy almost the entire card.

Above: Kimberley's Royal National Patriotic playing cards from an edition of c.1902 with conventional corner indices (not to scale with above image). This edition also contained a Joker depicting a lady holding a card. The differences between the different editions in quality and method of printing suggest different printers were involved.

References: Denning, Trevor, "Kimberley's Royal National Patriotic Playing Cards" in the Newsletter, EPCS May 1984, pp.6-7.