Wrappers
Playing cards were traditionally sold inside paper wrappers, which were usually thrown away.
Cardmakers traditionally sold their playing cards inside outer wrappers made of paper. These would usually be discarded once opened and were not expected to be kept. However, some survive, often in a fragile condition, and these paper wrappers are an useful additional source of information, such as manufacturers’ addresses, trade marks or copyright notices, medals won at exhibitions, as well as in certain cases, taxation details or royal patronage. See example here►
For this reason, packs still in their original paper wrapper, unopened, are less common. Today’s packs are usually cello-wrapped.
By Simon Wintle
Member since February 01, 1996
Founder and editor of the World of Playing Cards since 1996. He is a former committee member of the IPCS and was graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal for many years. He has lived at various times in Chile, England and Wales and is currently living in Extremadura, Spain. Simon's first limited edition pack of playing cards was a replica of a seventeenth century traditional English pack, which he produced from woodblocks and stencils.
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