Hewson Replica Pack
Hand-made replica 17th century English playing cards, based on museum originals.
Traditional 17th Century English Playing Cards
Above: hand-made replica 17th century English playing cards, based on original museum prints.
These replica cards have full-figure courts, square corners, and are made by hand on laminated cardboard to mimic the antique pre-industrial methods of production. The cards have a chunky feel and are suitable for play, re-enactment and for historical authenticity.
Based on the seventeenth century designs of Hewson, the cards exhibit that geometric construction which characterises the English pattern and which has survived to the contemporary double-ended cards used today. Packs contain 52 cards, with plain or coloured backs. The size of the cards is usually around 63 x 90 mms. These dimensions may vary by a few mms since packs are hand-made and each one is slightly different.
Supplied to film studios, theatres, museums, re-enactment groups and individuals requiring to source an authentic period set of playing cards.
RECENT CUSTOMERS: Schtanhaus Theatre Company (RSC) • BrightStar Films (Elstree Studios) • Libertine Productions Ltd (Ealing Studios) • Fingersmith (Twickenham Film Studios) • "Spanish Humanism on the Verge of the Picaresque" University of Leuven Press • www.mydivination.com • Hampton Court Palace • The Undercroft of the Banqueting House • Weald & Downland Open Air Museum • Warrior Productions (Shepperton Studios) • Finlay Publisher • Outlander • Dragon International Film Studios • Tamworth Castle (Tamworth Borough Council) • The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust • Spink and Son Ltd
Above: the production of playing cards in 1760, from the Encyclopédie des Arts et Métiers of Duhamel de Monceau.
Above: hand-made packs sealed in paper wrappers ready for delivery.
By Simon Wintle
Spain • Member since February 01, 1996
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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