Gibson, Hunt & Son
Gibson originally took over the business of Blanchard in 1769. Gibson & Hunt operated briefly and were followed by various successors.
Gibson Hunt & Son, 1801-1803
29 Piccadilly, London
Gibson originally took over the business of Blanchard in 1769. Gibson & Hunt see Mogul wrapper operated briefly (1801-1803) and were followed successively by Hunt & Son (1804-1821), Hunt & Sons (1821-1840), Hall (& Son), Hall & Bancks and finally Bancks Brothers (1841-1889). The standard English court card male figures have curly, one-sided moustaches and details in the clothing and design are typical from this period, i.e. c.1800-c.1810.
Left: 'Garter' Ace of Spades (click to zoom). There were several variations in the name on Aces of Spades around this time, and the son seems to have joined the firm in 1803/04. The backs of the cards are plain white. • See Hunt & Son Exportation ace
Above: Images courtesy Charles Flisher.
Above: assorted loose cards from different packs of the same period. Image courtesy Scott Gould.
Reference: Lodge, Ken: The Standard English Pattern (second revised and enlarged edition), Bungay, Suffolk, 2010
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.
Activity for Gibson, Hunt & Son
Sign in to comment or save this article.
Related Articles
Moguls, Highlanders and Merry Andrews
Discover the historic origins and evolution of card naming and quality designations like ‘Moguls’ an...
Goodall 1879-1880 Sample Book
Complete contents of a sample book by Goodall & Sons
Great Mogul Playing Cards
The origins of the 'Great Mogul' brand playing cards.
Karl Gerich No. 25: “Great Mogul”
'Great Mogul' branded playing cards designed and produced by Karl Gerich.
Hall & Son
Hall & Son
72: The Ace of Spades
In standard English packs the Ace of Spades is associated with decorative designs. This is a histori...
60: Some less common Goodall packs, 1875-95
There are some interesting packs from Goodall in the last quarter of the 19th century.
I. Hardy facsimile
Facsimile edition of 19th century I. Hardy Exportation deck complete with reproduction tax wrapper, ...
30: The Not-So-Minor Cardmakers of the 19th Century - Gibson, Hunt & Bancks
A preliminary look at the card-makers operating in the 19th century.
20: English Card-Makers 1761-1905
An initial survey of 19th century playing-card production. More detailed information appears on othe...
Karl Gerich No.16: “Patience Indien”
Karl Gerich's “Patience Indien No.16”, published in 1991, is adapted from Grimaud's “Whist Indienne”...
7: Brands and Packs
The introduction of brands commenced during the late 19th century as a development of the old qualit...
Van Genechten
A. Van Genechten ran a flourishing business, supplying various kinds of cards both inside the countr...
Continental Card Co
The Continental Card Company, 220 North Second Street, Philadelphia, started in 1874, manufacturing ...
John Llewellyn, playing card manufacturer, London, 1778-1785
John Llewellyn, playing card manufacturer, London, 1778-1785
Léonard Biermans, Turnhout
Léonard Biermans had been employed by Brepols from 1871-1874 before opening his own playing card fac...
Gibson & Co., c.1770
Standard English playing cards manufactured by Gibson & Co., c.1770.
Reynolds c.1809-1885
Joseph Reynolds had been producing playing cards in the traditional method since c.1809.
W. H. Willis & Co
Willis & Company was formed in 1869, having been preceded by Charles Steer at the same address (80 L...
Swiss Mogul Cards, 1880-1890
English type 'Mogul' playing cards manufactured in Switzerland by John Müller for export to India, c...
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 60 days
