Masonic Playing Cards
A set of playing cards designed by Julien Lebleu, an original work in the history of Freemasonry. Jeu de cartes conçu par Julien Lebleu, oeuvre originale dans l'histoire de la Franc-maçonnerie.
Jeu de cartes conçu par Julien Lebleu, oeuvre originale dans l'histoire de la Franc-maçonnerie. A set of playing cards designed by Julien Lebleu, an original work in the history of Freemasonry.
The Valet of Spades (right) depicts a companion of The Work holding a retort
symbolizing the hard work that must be completed in order to glimpse the final goal.
This attractive pack commemorating the history of freemasonry has the Kings as masters of the lodge, the Queens and Jacks are other masonic officers while the Jokers are two operative masons. The deck contains two interpretation cards explaining the meaning of the Masonic symbolism►
Above: 'Masonic' playing cards commemorating the history of freemasonry designed by Julien Lebleu, printed by J.-M. Simon (B.P. Grimaud), Paris, France, 1980. 52 cards + 2 Jokers + interpretation cards.
REFERENCES
• Masonic Playing Cards by Yasha Beresiner.
• See also: Goodall's Royal Masonic playing cards designed by John Leighton, 1886
By Simon Wintle
Member since February 01, 1996
View ArticlesCurator and editor of the World of Playing Cards since 1996. He is a former committee member of the IPCS and was graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal for many years. He has lived at various times in Chile, England and Wales and is currently living in Extremadura, Spain. Simon's first limited edition pack of playing cards was a replica of a seventeenth century traditional English pack, which he produced from woodblocks and stencils.
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