Woodcutting Tools

Geschichte des Buchgewerbes

Geschichte des Buchgewerbes illustrated by Ludwig Winkler, published by Verlag für Lehrmittel Pößneck.

“Deck with French suits”

A facsimile of an early 19th century French-suited deck from the collection of F.X. Schmid.

Jeu “Gerente”

Jeu “Gerente” - published by Moncar in 1983 in the “Cartes de Fantasie” series.

71: Woodblock and stencil: the hearts

A presentation of the main characteristics of the wood-block courts of the heart suit.

70: Woodblock and stencil : the spade courts

This is a presentation in a more straightforward fashion of the work done by Paul Bostock and me in our book of the same name.

I. Schenck, Nuremberg

I. Schenck, Nuremberg, late XVIIIth century

Xilografías de Mallorca

Spanish National pattern re-printed from original woodblocks which are preserved in the monastery at Valdemosa, Mallorca, c.1960.

41: A Guide to Dating Playing Cards

Dating is a particularly tricky but very interesting problem to tackle and there are many pitfalls.

33: Functional Changes to Playing Cards

The emphasis throughout my collecting has been on the design of the courts cards, and it should be pointed out that there have been some functional changes to cards, which have affected the traditional designs, especially in the 19th century.

28: How to Analyze and Differentiate Playing Card Plates (De La Rue, Waddington and the Berlin pattern [französisches Bild])

My interest in postage stamp variants led me to apply the same principles to playing cards.

Ivorette

Dougherty was at the forefront of innovation, adding Best Bowers and then Jokers, rounded corners and various types of indices, or indicators, to his cards.

14: Back Designs

A few examples of the many interesting back designs.

Rotxotxo Workshop Inventories

Rotxotxo Workshop Inventories, Barcelona, 1660-1800.

Manufacture of Playing Cards

Traditionally cardmakers worked in guilds with long apprenticeships under master craftsmen.

Amos Whitney Inventory

Amos Whitney Factory Inventory. What it was like inside an 18th century playing card factory...

Woodcutting Tools

Chromolithography

Colour lithography was invented in 1798 by a Bavarian actor and playwright named Alois Senefelder (1771-1834). It is based on the principle that oil and water do not mix.

Printing of Playing Cards: Stencilling

Printing of Playing Cards :: Stencilling can usually be detected by observing the outlines of the coloured areas which are often irregular with brush strokes discernible in the coloured areas.

Paper and Cardboard

The manufacture of the pasteboard used for playing cards contains a number of interesting processes including mingling, pasting and drying.

Letterpress

Some notes on the manufacture of playing cards taken from Thomas De la Rue's patent, 1831.

Pneumatic Playing Cards

The surface of the cards was slightly grooved by being rolled on prepared plates, so that there were little pockets of air between each card, which prevented them sticking together.

Reynolds c.1830

Woodblock and stencil playing cards, produced by Reynolds & Sons c.1830-1850.

Early Anglo-French Cards

Cards produced in Rouen during the sixteenth century. It was cards like these which were imported to England and are the ancestors of the modern 'Anglo-American' pattern.

Argentina Card Backs

Regarding the designs of playing cards

The quality of playing card designs often deteriorates with time…

Russian Standard Playing Cards

Cards from a Russian standard woodblock and stencil pack of circa 1820.

Hewson Replica Pack

Hand-made replica 17th century English playing cards, based on museum originals.

Woodblock and Stencil Playing Cards

Around 1987 I decided to make a pack of playing cards from woodblocks and coloured with stencils. I imagined I was carrying out my 'apprenticeship'.