19: 19th Century Breaks With Tradition - Unusual Versions of the Standard English Pattern
The centuries-long tradition of English court cards was subject to misinterpretation and in some cases a desire for individuality. Here are some examples of breaks with that tradition.
Modern designers have often had a go at redesigning the courts on playing cards. This has resulted in an amazing array of non-standard packs, but also in interesting versions of the standard patterns as well. One or two new versions of the standard English pattern have appeared on earlier pages of this blog. But it's not just modern designers who have done this; there are a number of examples from the 19th century, so I thought I'd present a few here.
In England the basic styles of the standard courts changed rather slowly between 1780 and 1830. A number of examples are illustrated on blog page 36. When new printing techniques were introduced from the early 1830s onwards (although the old-style wood-block production continued for several decades alongside the new methods), the courts were redrawn. Some of the redrawings stuck to the traditional format of the figures, whilst others made alterations to the tradition. Whichever route was taken, however, the style was different from what had gone before. So from about 1820 onwards we find redrawings that can be viewed as a modernization process.
An early example is from Stopforth/Hunt, c.1820. It isn't clear who produced these cards first, but the same blocks are found with ASs from either maker.
Although the postures are the traditional ones, note that the KD holds a vicious looking spear over his shoulder, the JS holds a spear and the JH has his right hand (on the left) in front of his body holding his halberd.
De La Rue, who invented the letterpress process for printing his cards and received the royal patent in 1831, redrew one set of his first courts so much that they are said to have been rejected by serious card-players. In the illustrated example below all the pips have a white line overlaid on them.
Here the KH is turned, the KD holds an orb and a sceptre, the QC is turned and holds a sceptre and necklace, and the QD holds a sceptre and a fan. The clothing has been completely redesigned and looks more realistic.
Other makers followed this trend and produced a number of interesting versions of the pattern. Goodall, for example, redrew his courts with a few alterations to the tradition, e.g. the loss of the KD's hand on the left.
Even smaller makers had a go, but retained the wood-block production. Here is Hardy's effort, c.1830: the style looks more French than English, but the traditional features are retained.
A much more extraordinary pack comes from Creswick, again probably from the 1830s. This looks like an attempt to repersonalize the figures, that traditionally were distorted and stocky, but they look more like their 16th and 17th century predecessors than contemporary courts.
England was not the only place where redrawings occurred. American and Belgian makers had a go at redesigning, too. Humphreys was an early US maker (c.1815-20) who had two different kinds of redrawn court.
Andrew Dougherty in the 1840s used a very non-traditional version of the pattern in his first packs. Under the name of Crehor (without an e) he produced a double-ended version retaining some of the features of his first design, e.g. a profile QD.
Towards the end of the 19th century a number of makers appeared on the scene who didn't seem to know the tradition of the English court figures in any detail, producing designs that look like English cards but with many of the traditional feature altered. One such maker is Excelsior of Chicago, which seems to have changed to the Chicago Playing Card Co. in c.1890, but retained their court cards. The queens' headdresses are very exotic, the clothing of most of the courts has been altered considerably, and the KH is not holding his weapon aloft, the KD is not in profile, and the KC faces ¾ right not left.
Chicago PCCo, c.1895
There is another version of this design from the same firm, but sometimes called the North American Card Co., in which the clothing has been changed, whilst in most cases the outline plates are the same. However, the KC & KD have had their heads altered and the QS's & QH's headdresses are different at the top by the frame line.
North American Card Co., c.1890
Another example is provided by Pearsall, an otherwise unknown maker from around the same time, who could be Canadian. Their courts are basically those of Dougherty, but with turned postures. However, four cards have what I call "twisted heads", that is head positions which are opposite to that of their bodies. All the spades and the JC have such heads, for no apparent reason.
Above: Pearsall, c.1890 [with thanks to Tom Dawson]
A late 19th century pack by USPCC (copyright 1895) used a redesigned set of courts based on the standard English pattern, but with many of the traditional features altered, e.g. the way the jacks hold their weapons (all halberds), the queens' flowers, the full-frontal KH and JD.
Above: USPCC Trophy Whist, c.1895. Later editions used standard court designs.
Another pack purporting to be by Jones & Co, London (a non-existent card-maker), but most likely to have been made in the United States, has redesigned figures that look more natural and a coloured AS that is pretending to be an English export ace of the period. The pack is catalogued by Dawson & Dawson (2000) in their edition of Hochman's Encyclopedia, classified as NY31a by Samuel Hart.
The figures of the KS and the KH have been switched.
These cards are very like those made by Van Genechten of Turnhout, but it's very difficult to say which ones were copied from which. In the Belgian version the figures are assigned to their traditional suits. These cards are from sample books in the Turnhout Playing Card Museum.
These are top-of-the-range quality printed by chromolithography; the ones below are of a cheaper grade.
There are further examples of changes to the traditional postures of the English courts on several of the other pages of the blog.
By Ken Lodge
Member since May 14, 2012
I'm Ken Lodge and have been collecting playing cards since I was about eighteen months old (1945). I am also a trained academic, so I can observe and analyze reasonably well. I've applied these analytical techniques over a long period of time to the study of playing cards and have managed to assemble a large amount of information about them, especially those of the standard English pattern. About Ken Lodge →
Trending Articles
Related Articles
Woodblock and Stencil King of Diamonds
A limited edition art print of the King of Diamonds 1984 woodblock joker.
Woodblock and Stencil Jack of Clubs
A limited edition art print of the Jack of Clubs 1984 woodblock joker.
Woodblock and Stencil Joker
A limited edition art print of the 1984 woodblock joker.
Woodblock and Stencil Queen of Clubs
A limited edition art print of the Queen of Clubs 1984 woodblock joker.
Film Noir
A deck of 55 cards, celebrating hard boiled heroes, wise-cracking women, mean streets, guns and gums...
Science Fiction
A deck of 55 cards, celebrating a time when Science Fiction truly was, Science Fiction.
The Beatles playing cards
Two packs featuring photos of The Beatles issued by the same publisher in 2004 and 2005.
Costume Playing Cards
Four centuries of costumes from the Costume Court at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Commoners playing cards
Created by Ian Cumpstey dedicated to the common land and the countryside.
Liber Ludorum
Liber Ludorum playing cards created by Ian Cumpstey in the insular style, United Kingdom, 2019.
Pike and Clover playing cards
Pike and Clover playing cards created by Ian Cumpstey, Cumbria, UK, 2018.
Inglewood Hunting Deck
Inglewood Hunting Deck created by Ian Cumpstey, United Kingdom, 2023.
Pin-Ups
A deck of 55 cards celebrating a golden age of cheeky, naughty, bold and curvy ladies in film.
Classic Movie Posters
A deck of 55 cards presenting vintage classic movies and their stars.
That’s Entertainment
A deck of 55 cards celebrating 20th Century vaudeville, musicals and cabaret.
British Monarchs
Commemorating the royal wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales to Lady Diana Spencer on the 29th
Rock & Pop Legends
Stunning photos of a selection of US and UK music artists.
The Beatles • Yellow Submarine
A colourful deck celebrating the 1968 animated feature film based on the Lennon/McCartney song of th...
Paco Lobo
Highly original and striking designs by Paco Lobo for the fashion house of the same name.
Dutch Court playing cards
Games & Print Services’ version of the Dutch pattern.
Past Masters’ Association Presentation Pack
The Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards Past Masters’ Association Presentation Pack, 2013....
The Search for New Games in the late 19th century
A few new games survived and are still around today; most came and went and are only witnessed in th...
Miniature Card Dominoes
A miniature set of Goodall domino cards (5.9 x 3.5 cms) still in perfect condition.
T. Drayton & Son
Bezique and Whist boxed sets by T. Drayton & Son, London, c.1875.
Colour doodle deck
“1952-2002 commemorative deck” customised with doodles by an uncredited artist, UK, 2011.
Jeu Boléro
Sweeping, semi-abstract designs by J.L. Jolin in red and black only.
Knoll International
Geometric designs by the French artist Jean Garçon for Knoll International, the furniture company.
Marcello Morandini
Modern designs by Italian artist Marcello Morandini using the simplest of forms and colours.
Alice in Wonderland: we’re all mad here
Alice in Wonderland themed playing cards, UK, 2020.
Claude Weisbuch
Free reinterpretation of the traditional Paris pattern courts by the artist Claude Weisbuch.
Wren 300 playing cards
Papercuts by Chloe Campbell of the 52 Wren churches in the City of London.
Marlow playing cards
Visitor attractions and businesses to be found in Marlow, Buckinghamshire.
El Niño de las Pinturas
Forty-nine distinctive works by Spanish graffiti artist Raúl Ruiz.
Playing Politics 2010
“Playing Politics ’10: With no expenses spared” featuring caricatures by Oliver Preston, published b...
Playing Politics ’92: Pack of lies
Playing Politics ’92: Pack of lies with caricatures by Grant Robertson, UK.
B-Deck
“B-Deck” scurrilous playing cards poking fun at a former UK prime minister.
Winstanley Geographical cards
Facsimile of Winstanley’s Geographical cards produced by Harold & Virginia Wayland, 1967.
Meal Tub Plot
Meal Tub Plot playing cards [facsimile] with 17th century sketches by Francis Barlow.
Golf playing cards
Golf playing cards published by Marks & Spencer, UK.
Great inventions playing cards
Great inventions playing cards designed by Gary Wyatt, United Kingdom, 2011.
Christmas 1980 playing cards
Festive courts on a Waddingtons pack designed to celebrate Christmas 1980.
Gone to Pot: Gardener’s playing cards
‘Gone to Pot’: special playing cards for keen gardeners, United Kingdom.
The Tarot Strikes Back
Roy Huteson Stewart's The Tarot Strikes Back combines Star Wars with Rider-Waite tarot imagery.
Tottering-by-Gently
‘Tottering-by-Gently’ playing cards with cartoons by Annie Tempest.