Shakespeare playing cards: Quotes
Shakespeare playing cards: Quotes, the first volume of a double set published by Prospero Art of San Francisco, 2004.
This pack is the first volume of a double set published by Prospero Art of San Francisco in 2004. (For the second volume see Shakespeare playing cards: Insults, 2005).
Every card presents a Shakespearean quotation taken from every play written by the Bard, encased within an elegant and ornate golden border. The suits are themed: spades are skulduggery; hearts are love and sexual pleasure; clubs denote violence, actual or conspiring; diamonds are gain, money or treasure. The court cards additionally feature beautiful watercolour pen and ink portraits by Jan Padover, inspired by Old Masters such as Michelangelo and Rembrandt, and the aces display figures who know or seem to control the action of the play. The jokers are Falstaff (from Henry IV, pt. 2) and Rosalind (from As you like it).
Above: ‘Shakespeare playing cards: Quotes’, the first volume of a double set published by Prospero Art of San Francisco, 2004.
• See the box►
• See the Shakespeare Bridge double boxed set Vol.1 & Vol.2►
By Peter Burnett
United Kingdom • Member since July 27, 2022
I graduated in Russian and East European Studies from Birmingham University in 1969. It was as an undergraduate in Moscow in 1968 that I stumbled upon my first 3 packs of “unusual” playing cards which fired my curiosity and thence my life-long interest. I began researching and collecting cards in the early 1970s, since when I’ve acquired over 3,330 packs of non-standard cards, mainly from North America, UK and Western Europe, and of course from Russia and the former communist countries.
Following my retirement from the Bodleian Library in Dec. 2007 I took up a new role as Head of Library Development at the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP) to support library development in low-income countries. This work necessitated regular training visits to many sub-Saharan African countries and also further afield, to Vietnam, Nepal and Bangladesh – all of which provided rich opportunities to further expand my playing card collection.
Since 2019 I’ve been working part-time in the Bodleian Library where I’ve been cataloguing the bequest of the late Donald Welsh, founder of the English Playing Card Society.
Activity for Shakespeare playing cards: Quotes
Sign in to comment or save this article.
Related Articles
Romeo & Juliet
A Shakespearean-themed pack, with Spanish-suited and standard editions.
Peter Pan
A Peter Pan-themed deck developed through live-streamed drawing sessions, with members invited to su...
Odyssey Playing Cards
A Kings Wild Project celebrating Homer’s epic.
Beowulf
Jackson Robinson's Beowulf playing card deck inspired by the Old English pagan poem.
Shakespeare playing cards: Insults
Shakespeare Insults playing cards with portraits by Jan Padover, USA, 2005.
Old Testament playing cards
Old Testament playing cards with illustrations by Jan Padover, USA, 2012.
Don Quixote playing cards
Don Quixote playing cards designed by Nam Tibon, USA, 2016.
Jane Austen playing cards
Jane Austen playing cards published by Prospero Art, USA, 2013.
Hoyle v Foster: whose name should we remember?
Hoyle’s name is associated with the rules by which many games are played, particularly card games B...
Wagner’s “Ring” playing cards
Wagner’s “Ring” playing cards, with illustrations by Sir Arthur Rackham, published by Prospero Art, ...
Shakespeare finely illustrated playing cards
Shakespeare playing cards with illustrations by Sir John Gilbert RA, United Kingdom.
Scientific American
‘Scientific American’ playing cards depicting 19th century illustrations of inventions.
Romeo and Juliet
Unbranded ‘Romeo and Juliet’ backs by Russell Playing Card Company, c.1911.
Alice in Wonderland by Prospero Art
Alice in Wonderland deck published by Prospero Art, USA, 2008.
Authors
Authors quartet game published by Whitman Publishing Co., 1951.
Shakespearean
Shakespearean Playing Cards designed by Frederick Colin Tilney, made by John Waddington Limited, 193...
Dogs
‘Dogs’ playing cards showcases 52 canine portraits in four suits as authors, artists, musicians and ...
Game of Thrones
“Game of Thrones” playing cards are an official fan deck associated with the HBO adaptation of the b...
Sherlock Holmes by Jackson Robinson
A 2013 Sherlock Holmes playing card review by Jackson Robinson, officially licensed by the Sir Arthu...
Shakespeare Playing Cards
Shakespeare playing cards published in the 1890s with original paintings by John H. Bacon.
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 60 days
