Ace of hearts cards4/2/2023 ![]() ![]() ![]() Argine, an anagram of the Latin word Regina meaning Queen (Clubs).Pallas Athena, the Greek goddess (Spades).Charlemagne, king of the Franks (Hearts).Alexander the Great, Greek leader (Clubs).People ask “Who is represented on court cards” ? I like the idea of these traditional identities. In 1862 manufacturers (like Thomas De La Rue, who mass produced and reduced costs) were allowed to print their own Ace of Spades and many fancy designs, showing the ‘stamp’ and other information became the norm. In the 1820s, to reduce tax evasion, the Ace of Spades had to be purchased from the Stamp Duty Commissioners. The British Government saw a chance to tax playing cards (1710) and to ensure the taxes were collected a stamp (stamp duty) was applied to the Ace of Spades. Cards could now be made cheaply from stencils and French made cards came to dominate the market. The French gaind a competitive advantabe by the idea of using simple black and red patterns. In the French tradition, 52 cards of 4 suites using hearts, clubs, diamonds and spades were used. Spainish packs were often of only 40 cards (which narrowed the odds a bit). A variation of court cards were used bacause sometimes a Queen was omittted. Most packs were usually of 52 cards and made up of 4 suites. The Germans had suits like acorns, leaves, bells and hearts. These cards required hand painting and were therefore costly. In the 14 th century, the Italians had suites named swords, clubs cups and coins. Either way the cards we play with in the UK are largely a French import. Playing games with cards made its way to Italy through Arabia and may well be something brought back from the Crusades (like Moorish Dancing). Briefly, it seems like the Chinese had playing cards in the 9 th century. The history of playing cards isn’t something I think about every day ! There are some interesting facts hiding beneath the surface which makes their history quite interesting. Each is an original and can be framed to create a unique addition to your style-conscious home. Upcycled Vintage playing cards are stylish greetings cards or ready-for-framing artwork. The classic ace of hearts card is ideal for conveying a message of love at any time. ![]()
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