Alfred Crowquill

Transformation playing cards designed by the illustrator, comic artist and stage designer ‘Alfred Crowquill’ (Alfred Henry Forrester, 1804-72), printed by Reynolds & Sons, c.1850.

As a writer and illustrator, Alfred Henry Forrester collaborated with his brother, Charles, under the name ‘Alfred Crowquill’, and took the pseudonym for himself before his brother’s death. Crowquill was influenced in style by Cruikshank, and he published collections of humorous work, political cartoons, caricatures as well as these unusual Transformation playing cards with the ‘transformations’ inside the pips and court cards travesties of the usual ones. Crowquill was a versatile artist whose work, especially in the field of fantasy, has been neglected.

Above: Transformation playing cards by the illustrator and comic artist Alfred Crowquill (1804-72) and printed by Reynolds & Sons, c.1850. Images courtesy Barney Townshend.

Above: copy of Cruikshank’s engraving in the house with MPs as court card figures. Courtesy Rex Pitts.