Archive for July 12th, 2010
A Brief History Of The Playing Card
Monday, July 12th, 2010
In the account books of Joanna, Duchess of Brabant there is an entry dated May 14, 1379 which reads, “Given to Monsieur and Madame four peters, two forms, value eight and a half moutons, where with to buy a pack of cards”. Trying to familiarize a novice’s awkward fingers with what must be one of the most popular and widely known games, takes a while. Through film and fiction if not in real life it is one of the most popular modern online and high-tech casino games. In the giddy atmosphere of first live games one may never realize that the glossy polygons with the unruly freak-show of royal Siamese twins have not in fact always been as they seem to have been.
The very first playing cards seem to have originated in Central Asia. The first known reference to cards is a 10th or 11th century record of paper dominoes, printed to represent all of the 21 combinations of a pair of dice, used in other games in China. The earliest found artifacts come from 9th century China. Scholars associate the first straight-sheet paper cards with the first use of straight writing paper as opposed to paper rolls (being one of the many ancient Chinese inventions so obvious now to any sane modern) and with the earliest book printing.
Egyptian Mamelukes most likely introduced playing cards in quite modern form to the Europeans in the late 14th century. There were 52 cards in the typical Mameluke deck, four suits (polo sticks, coins, swords, and cups) and three court cards with, rather than persons, depicted abstracted design. At the time, only wealthy Europeans could afford the cards which were hand-made. Woodcuts (used to decorate fabrics) were then applied to paper in a new technique which was introduced around 1400 and mass production followed suit. There are records of professional card makers dating back to the period between 1418 and 1450. Card production is now one of the most flourishing world-wide industries.
In the 15th century playing cards the number and style of suits varied: some decks had five suits, the standard suits in Germany were hearts, bells, leaves, and acorns. In Southern Germany these suits are still used today for a distinctive set of card games. Besides the more standard deck, from my childhood, I remember the German suits which because of their relative pictorial richness I preferred them. Especially the golden nut and greenish cupules of the acorn suit. A gift perhaps imported from German relatives into Asia, Kazakhstan.
If the kings were the highest card in the suit in early games, by the 14th century the “Ace” (stemming from the Latin for the lowest unit of currency, as) began to acquire the ability to turn highest card, leaving the Two as lowest. This was an especially popular mode during the French Revolution when it was vital that the lower classes rise above royalty. A revolutionary would likewise disdain to play cards with Kings and Queens, preferring the innovative design of Liberties, Equalities, and Fraternities, but the classic design returned with the coming of Napoleon to power.
In the 19th century a reversible double image in court cards was introduced. The designs, in the earliest, were American. Though a French card maker of the late 18th century was attributed the invention but the French government prohibited the idea. The purpose was, during a session to prevent players from reversing their court cards and revealing their hands to the opponents.
The author is a successful limit cash game player. He plays poker online and receives Victory Poker Rakeback as well as Power Rakeback.
Tags: card games, cards, gambling, games, playing cards, Poker, recreation
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