Pierre Roiné Aluette

The ace of cups, which is a chalice, has the maker’s name, Pierre Roiné, who was active in Nantes c.1783-1806. His initials also appear on the four of cups. The ace of coins has a Spanish coat-of-arms and the legend “Hispania • Rex Caroui Dei • Gratia” beneath a royal crown. Instead of human figures appearing inside the suit symbols on some of the numeral cards (as in later Aluette cards), we have what resemble heraldic devices. The three of cups is a completely standard Spanish card, with no female figure or birds sitting in the cups. The court cards have a close resemblance to the archaic Franco-Spanish pattern. Also surprising are the four cavaliers, which are named as 'Dame' even though they have not yet been transformed from the Spanish male figures into females (as far as we can tell). The batons are adorned with fleurs-de-lys instead of arrows as in later versions. Various other archaic features can be observed, or the lack of features seen in more modern Aluette decks. The two of swords has a mis-spelt inscription ‘Fechas a Nantes’ (Made in Nantes) as was customary in archaic Spanish-suited cards.

Similar ‘heraldic devices’ can be seen inside the coins in a much older fragmentary sheet by J Deluy (Source gallica.bnf.fr / Bibliothèque nationale de France • Planches de cartes d'un jeu à enseignes latines, J. Deluy)   It is noteworthy that in the Spanish-suited Deluy sheets the cavaliers have been replaced by queens, which may have a bearing on the cavaliers named as Dames in these Aluette cards, in terms of a common ancestry.

Above: Archaic form of Aluette published by Pierre Roiné, Nantes, c.1785. 48 cards, no index numbers or 'pintas', stencil-coloured woodblock. Source gallica.bnf.fr / Bibliothèque nationale de France • Jeu d'aluette, Pierre Roiné, Nantes►