Cards armorial, containing the coats of arms of the four kingdoms, and of the Dukes, Marquesses, Earls, Viscounts and Lords of the Kingdom of Scotland. /
Scot, Walter,active 1686-1691.
Hamilton, James,paper maker,active 1690-1693.
Orr, John,active 1861,former owner.StEdNL: J.H.S.48
Mackenzie, John Whitefoord,1794-1884,former owner.StEdNL: J.H.S.48
Edinburgh, : These cards are printed, made, and to be sold by James Hamilton, at his house on the South-side of the head of the Canongate, a little above St. John's Cross.,
[1691]
Card bearing the arms of the City of Edinburgh includes text: Phylarcharum Scotorum gentilicia insignia a Gualtero Scot aurifice chartis hisorijs [sic] expressa sculpsit Edinburgi  anno Dom. M.D.XCI [i.e. 1691].
Another card outside the 52 regular playing cards bears text: The seal of the Lyon office impaled wt the armes of Sir Alexander Areskin of Cambo Knight & Baronet present Lyon King at Armes.
Place of publication and printer from verso of title.
Verso of title captioned: Instructions for understanding the design of these playing-cards.
Title and verso are letterpress and appear to have been a sheet to enclose the cards, cards are engraved throughout with diamonds and hearts coloured red.
Title bears arms of William and Mary.
The armorial bookplate of E. Woodcock has been pasted to the verso of the leaf bearing the Prince and 10 of hearts.
Aldis, H.G. Scotland,
ESTC
Wing
Ink inscription on leaf bearing cards with arms of Edinburgh and seal of the Lyon King at Arms: Done Oc: 8th. 1813. P.S.D. This is presumably when the cards were mounted and bound together. Facing page has inscription: Ardrossan.
Pictorial bookplate on front pastedown: Ex libris John Orr Edinr. MDCCCLXI. Armorial bookplate on recto of front free endpaper: L. Johannis Whitefoord Mackenzie Armigeri. Henderson Smith pasted his own bookplate to rear pastedown and dated his ownership to 1917 on the recto of final leaf before rear endpapers.
Bound in red morocco with gilt borders on front and back boards. Later reback with five raised bands forming six compartments with gilt borders and gilt leaf design within compartments. Second compartment has gilt title "Ex Libris". Cards are mounted two to a leaf.
Cards are mounted four to a leaf and interleaved with mounted text of: The blazoning of the ensigns armorial of the Kingdoms of Scotland, England, France and Ireland, and of the coats of arms of the nobility of Scotland.
Cards are individually mounted and enclosed in blue morocco case.
Playing cards
Devices (Heraldry)
Games
Scotland Edinburgh.