Crimean War Deck

Published December 20, 2023 • Updated November 23, 2024

1854 saw the declaration of the Crimean War and this deck was published by Wüst around, or shortly after, 1856.

Commemorative deck published by Conrad Ludwig Wüst in which the 4 aces have views of battles in the Crimea . The court cards are portraits of royal personages and generals associated with the war. The colouring and design of some of the court cards are different at each end. There are two unidentified stamps on the ace of clubs, and one on the 7 of clubs

Crimean War Deck published by Conrad Ludwig Wüst c.1856. © The Trustees of the British Museum

Above: Crimean War Deck published by Conrad Ludwig Wüst c.1856. 52 double-ended cards, hand-coloured etching, square corners, no indices, backs printed in red with a small pattern. © The Trustees of the British Museum

The Crimean War was fought from October 1853 to February 1856 between the Russian Empire and an ultimately victorious alliance of the Ottoman Empire, France, the United Kingdom and Sardinia-Piedmont • Wikipedia►

The more recent annexation of Crimea (2014) also highlights Crimea’s strategic significance for dominance in the Black Sea area and Russia’s desires for expansion and control. Both conflicts were influenced by competing nationalist narratives.

References

British Museum: number 1896,0501.670►

O’Donoghue, Freeman M: Catalogue of the collection of playing cards bequeathed by Lady Charlotte Schreiber (German 228), Trustees of the British Museum, London, 1901 [digital version here]

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