Timeline

Browse by card manufacture year

1300s

1370

Early History of Playing Cards & Timeline

I-8n Basle, 1377, the pack was described by Brother John in his sermon as: “in its common form, and that in which it first reached us” comprises four seated kings, on royal thrones, each one holding a certain sign in his hand, of which signs some are reputed good, but others signify evil. Under which kings are two ‘marschalli’, the first of whom holds the sign upwards in his hand, in the same manner as the king; but the other holds it downwards in his hand. After this there are ten other cards, outwardly of the same size and shape, containing pips one to ten, making a total of 52.

There is also documentary evidence that "Saracenic" playing cards reached Italy in 1379. Read more →

1400s

1420

1451. Birth of Christopher Columbus
1491. Birth of Henry VIII of England
1492. Christopher Columbus discovers the 'new world' of the Americas on board his ship Santa Maria
1499. Vasco da Gama discovers the sea route to India via the Cape of Good Hope on board his ship São Gabriel

1500s

1500

1506. Death of Christopher Columbus, aged 54
1564. Birth of William Shakespeare

1600s

1609

1700s

1700

1717. The Freemasonry fraternity is founded with the establishment of the first Grand Lodge in London, England
1725. Birth of Antoine Court de Gébelin
1732. Birth of George Washington
1738. Birth of "Etteilla", the pseudonym of Jean-Baptiste Alliette
1769. Birth of Napoleon Bonaparte
1776. The Founding Fathers establish the United States of America through the signing of the Declaration of Independence
1785. Birth of Charles Goodall
1793. Birth of Thomas de la Rue
1799. The Rosetta Stone is discovered in Egypt by French soldiers during Napoleon's expedition, providing the key to deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphs
1799. Death of George Washington, aged 67

1800s

1800

1809. Birth of Bernard J. Dondorf

1810s

1810

1820s

1820

1820. Chas Goodall and Son Founded
1821. Death of Napoleon Bonaparte, aged 51

1830s

A Spanish Deck in Transition by Hermanos Bosio

1830

1833. Dondorf Founded

1840s

1840

1848. Birth of Andrew Dougherty
1849. Birth of Heraclio Fournier González

1850s

1850

1857. Birth of Arthur Edward Waite

1860s

1860

1866. Death of Thomas de la Rue, aged 73
1861. The American Civil War erupts between the Northern states (Union) and the Southern states (Confederacy)
1868. Heraclio Fournier S.A. Founded