Card games and playing cards

Description

Playing cards appeared in Europe after the mid 14th century, when wood-block printing on paper made mass production possible, but they had been known in other countries even earlier. The number of cards per pack, the suits, and illustrations have varied over time, but the standard pack has 52 cards with suits of hearts, diamonds, spades, and clubs. The joker was added to the playing card deck in America in the mid nineteenth century.

Source: Maurice Rickards, Encyclopedia of Ephemera

Details

Descriptive Terms

card games (game sets)
card games (physical activities)
playing cards
card games (game sets)

Collection Code

EP001

Collection Name

Ephemera collection

Reference Code

EP001.08

Record Details

Material Type

card games (physical activities)
playing cards
card games (game sets)

Description Level

Series

Location Note

85M-01-314-Z-E-0103

Historical/Biographical Note

Historical/Biographical Note

Playing cards appeared in Europe after the mid 14th century, when wood-block printing on paper made mass production possible, but they had been known in other countries even earlier. The number of cards per pack, the suits, and illustrations have varied over time, but the standard pack has 52 cards with suits of hearts, diamonds, spades, and clubs. The joker was added to the playing card deck in America in the mid nineteenth century.

Source: Maurice Rickards, Encyclopedia of Ephemera

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