De La Rue Pocket Guides
The 19th Century saw the production, by all of the major companies, of pocket guides or “mini-books” on every type of game.
Unable to preview PDF directly.
Download PDF to View
By Tony Hall
United Kingdom • Member since January 30, 2015
I started my interest in card games about 70 years ago, playing cribbage with my grandfather. Collecting card game materials started 50 years or so later, when time permitted. One cribbage board was a memory; two became the start of a collection currently exceeding 150!
Once interest in the social history of card games was sparked, I bought a wooden whist marker from the 1880s which was ingenious in design and unbelievably tactile. One lead to two and there was no stopping.
What happened thereafter is reflected in my articles and downloads on this site, for which I will be eternally grateful.
Activity for De La Rue Pocket Guides
Sign in to comment or save this article.
Related Articles
Pictures of Early Whist writers and their stories
The Invisible Experts: Tracking the Elusive Faces of Whist History.
Solo Whist
A distinctive British trick-taking game that emerged in the mid-19th century.
Scientific Whist
“Scientific Whist” : standard cards with instructions for play on the faces by Chas Goodall & Son, 1...
Goodall 1879-1880 Sample Book
Complete contents of a sample book by Goodall & Sons
De La Rue 1932-1933 Sample Book of Advertising cards
Complete contents of a sample book of advertising cards by De La Rue
A New Look at the Evolution of Whist Markers and Gaming Counters
This article aims to illustrate the evolution of whist and gaming counters from the 18th century to ...
Whist writers and their pseudonyms
Why did so many early writers about whist and other card games feel the need to write under a pseudo...
Kuhn Khan and Cooncan: an update
Kuhn Khan and Cooncan are pretty much exactly the same rummy-style game, but packaged and presented ...
Isle of Man playing cards by De La Rue & Goodall
Two different versions of Isle of Man playing cards from 1870 and 1914.
Pashas
“Pasha” is one of Charles Goodall’s brands which first appeared in c.1898 and was retained until aft...
Progressive Whist Cards
There are references to “progressive whist” or “whist drives” during the 19th and early years of the...
Progressive Whist Cards - page 2
Wireless Whist itself, in many forms...
A Pair of Transformation Packs
Two similar but fascinatingly different hand-drawn transformation decks by the same artist, c.1875
International Playing Cards
Designed by Reuben Townroe (1835-1911), the artist who designed the ornamented terra cotta work on t...
12: Goodall & Son
Charles Goodall & Son, 1820-1922 and beyond.
5: De La Rue
In December 1831 Thomas de la Rue was granted his patent for printing playing cards by letterpress.
Boudoir
“Boudoir” playing cards were introduced by Chas Goodall & Son in 1906 in a new, slimmer size.
Swastika designs
Swastika design playing cards by De La Rue, c.1925.
De La Rue
De La Rue introduced letter-press printing into playing card production and his patent was granted i...
Spanish suited pack for Nestlé
Spanish-suited pack produced by Chas Goodall & Son Ltd for South America
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 60 days
