Uncut Sheet by Johann Jobst Forster

Published April 15, 2024 • Updated April 18, 2024

A proof sheet containing twelve court cards of conventional French type.

An uncut sheet in the British Museum collection contains twelve court cards of the conventional single-ended French-suited type, published by Johann Jobst Forster, Nuremberg, early 18th century. Two of the knaves bear shields with respectively “Joh Jobst” and “Forster”. An Austro-Hungarian eagle has been incorporated into the design of one of the jacks. The court cards are not named, as yet uncoloured and without suit symbols, which would have been applied later using stencils.

Many French regional patterns were exported and subsequently copied elsewhere. These cards by Johann Forster have many resemblances to an old Lyons pattern.

an uncut sheet containing twelve court cards of conventional 18th century type printed by Johann Jobst Forster, Nuremberg, 18th C. © The Trustees of the British Museum

Above: an uncut proof sheet containing twelve court cards printed by Johann Jobst Forster, Nuremberg, early 18th C. © The Trustees of the British Museum • number 1896,0501.1116►

Reference

O’Donoghue, Freeman M: Catalogue of the collection of playing cards bequeathed by Lady Charlotte Schreiber (Sheets German 46), Trustees of the British Museum, London, 1901 [digital version here]

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I am the founder of The World of Playing Cards (est. 1996), a website dedicated to the history, artistry and cultural significance of playing cards and tarot. Over the years I have researched various areas of the subject, acquired and traded collections and contributed as a committee member of the IPCS and graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal. Having lived in Chile, England, Wales, and now Spain, these experiences have shaped my work and passion for playing cards. Amongst my achievements is producing a limited-edition replica of a 17th-century English pack using woodblocks and stencils—a labour of love. Today, the World of Playing Cards is a global collaborative project, with my son Adam serving as the technical driving force behind its development. His innovative efforts have helped shape the site into the thriving hub it is today. You are warmly invited to become a contributor and share your enthusiasm.

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Uncut Sheet by Johann Jobst Forster

Reference

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