The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-06-18
ALL ABOUTPLAYING CARDS
THE ANCIENT CHINESE AND EMO
PEW DITERNIONS.

Innovations in Illustrating Them-The linz
proved and Interesting American Product.
from the Bodon Bpspfng Transcript
II il six centuries and half since play
Inc cards were invented among the Chinese, pos
siblv by some ancestor Of that heather chi
nee" whom " Bill Nye'' went for without sum.
Client knowledge OF the fact that n full pack OF
Chinese cards numbers nearly as many rs three
"euchre decks" and that our games are mere
child's play to the intricate and subtle nicetes
Of those Of tho Celestisis.
The Hindus, however, while they Yield the
point OF antiquity g the Mongolians. can stu
boast OF the largest packs, each being composed
Of eight suits of twelve cards each niDety-six
Ia all.
about tho last Of the fourteenth century: for
the story Of their invention a generation lator,
for the amusement OF poor dcmented Charles
II. Of France, has long since been generally re-
jected.
Tue material shape, md design Of playing
cards In general use have varied little from that
day To this. although thousands have tried 60
make innovations In all these particulars. The
cards OF the ancient Chinese were OF paper, oh
long in shape. and morked like our own In suits
of colors, with a certain number OF what may be
termed absolute" cards, having powers moro
or less modified, and not unlike those OF the
modern Joker or extra card In "ralroad
the earlier European packs were Of the same
shape and material and over and above the
fftv-six ordinary cards for AZ that time
"knlsht" or "chevAller" stood between queen
ana knave, or jack. had over n score Of diouts,
or Independent and absolute cards, which arc
supposed to have had mystical and philosophic
n.
have been disused except in a few antqunted
provinces. and the pack "a now constituted IA at
once understood and played by men Of every
with the abandonment OF these cumbrous
packs began the desadence of tho cardmaker's
art. for then these riOitis were often marveis OF
the painters skill. and gold and silver with the
most delicate pigments were employed In their
adornment. Since then, however, we nave re-
duced the number OF cards to nfty-two, the
colurs TO two plain red and black. and the con-
ventona and misshapen monsters which sorye
as the court cards OF the vast majority OF packs,
aud ugly enough to warrant belief In the tale Of
n traveller among the iIimalayan mountaineers.
who records his having found among the 9njects
OF idDlatrous worship knave OF hearts"
THE MANY FUTILE INNOVATIONS.
And yet history has been ransacked for SOW
eregns, beautiful women. and gallant warriors,
whose portraits should replace these barbarous
enigtcs the graces, the muses., the deihed alb
stInCtions Of philosophical ana political enthu-
siasts the objects OF public hatred. Tidicule.
censure: and hundreds Of rare. curious. and
beautiful objects IN animate aud inanimate ma
tute. have been substituted for the present
suits, Ia enjoy brief season OF pubic favor
and then To- he summary Ousted from their
usurped stations by the old incumOeuts.
The exceptions to this general rule are to be
found among the "sciential and Philosophical q"
class Of cards. first Invented by DIR. Murner, the
learned opponent Of Martin Luther and printed
At Cfacor In loy,. ana since then Initiated ~
tory astrolOgy. logic. grammar. natursl history
and nearly every other science known to man
have been placed before the students of France,
Spain, Germany. and England. IA the gli-e OF "A
pack OF cords; and the numberless variety ~
games " Of "ouartattes now nanufac tured
In tins and European countries are but I've
eyei-increasing harvest which has sprung from
the Chdrtatdiun Logtc0. or cards of instruction
Ia the art OF reasoning. OF the Franciscan triar.
Among the makers Of Vllling cards, how
ever. innovation in the matter Of enbems has
been rs futile In America ~ in the Old World.
shortly after the Revolutions one X. SIuzade,
probably Frenchman. got up pack for the
card-playinR patriots Of the new nationality.
For kings-name nlUseous TO the ears Of tho
heroes of the successful reYOlt-there were pre-
sented 1uli-length portraits Of Washington,
Adams. Frankliu, and l. lfayette. For queens.
Venus. Fort una, Ceres and Minerva wer, pre-
sented IN all tue glory OF colorcd copper-plats
imprints and tor knaves stood Tour lndian
chiefs. probably IN Difference To the public
prejudtces against " them pesky lnjins." IL
would lie hard to day to find more than one or
ton.
In 1853 New York dealer attemp ted to intro
uuce ~hat Was csilel the America card; Lin
coin, Bucn anan. Pierce and Fillmore took tue
place Of kings: secretary M,lies. Gen. DIX, and
Two other notabies supplied heads Tor the
queens, and sundry weii-known shodcy contrac-
tors worthily represented the-well We II call
them lacks; Il would appear as II certain
amount Of "sarkasm' was Intended 10 he con
yeyed by these emblems.
About the same time the Union" PLAYING
card had quite successful run, although but
few are to he met with now. The Kings were
displaced tor colonies, the God deSs OF American
Liberty banished the queens OF the card king
place u the knlves. Even the spots" we're al
tered, the suits being eagles, shields, stars, and
hags.
Changes In shape have been Of rare occur
renee but IN England, Of late years, some high
cost packs have been made With nicely rounded
corners, 10 faciliiats shuMing and prevent the
inevitable and uusighty does-oar which 80
soon destroys the beauty of the finest cards.
THE AMERICAN INVENTIONS.
recently patented novelty, the Globe " OF
round playing cards made IA this city, appears
TO have made holder step toward attaining tao
sane end An incre ised lnde,trucubility aud
ease IN handing. shuhling, and dealing, be-
tides TINS, tie number of CulOr- has been in-
creased 10 four, pnuted as follows: Hearts
red; diamonds. yellow, clubs. green. spades.
blwk-thus rendering the suits more easily dis
cerniblo at lr-t sight.
hut In addition to these changes the rim OF
each card has near It's edge a border u nu.
meras. printed IN the u oper color, SO that with
out seeing the rest Of tue card lie suit and vaus
nre known at once. Thus, then uneril |, Ia red,
signifies the ace of hearts a yellow . the Jeucs
~ clam onus u black q, the six Of spades whilo
the court ifds are SHOWN by the peculiar head
Dresses VI the kings queens, or jacks, which,
radiatinE from common centre, designate tn.
court cards.
since tho invention Of this method Of facili.
TAU rapid and accurate play, tie makers OF
square cards nave adopted various designs To
eject The same result. linus, there are cards
made which are stamped in one corner with d
miniature card uess IN size than ones thumb
naiD OF the same denomination. Another class
have the emblem VI tue suli, with "a mineral
hxing It's value-thus a diamond surm ounteu by
the h9uro means the bine OF diamonds.
Pefhaps the new shape may md tavor, but we
must say that one Of the advantages they pos
tam quarters. where cards are played merely
Tor amusement ana healthy mental exercise,
they oHrr undOubted advantages, not the least
OF which arc their lasting qualities and an i'm.
portant saving IN tho loss oil time IN preparing
the pack for shunng.
But the gam bling fraternity will look with dis
FAVOR on card whose shape torDids tho use Of
that treacherous ornsmentltion " hich disc SOS
TO tho veteran sportsman his victims hand,
as surely as II lie saw the faces OF bis cards IN
stead OF their backs. IL Ii said that there are
some I'VE Or six hundred patterns Of this de
scription, known to the profess Onals" OF Eu-
rope aud America. should tue new cards help
To render tho gains OF this class less certainly re-
mun0ratlVe, they viii prove great relief TO
thousands Of " pigeons" who are now undergo
ing the plucking process and often at tho hands
OF men who ply tho olackeg's artInces while
they profess to DO honorable gentlemen.
Inc principal manufacturers OF playing cards
In this country are N New York city, but smaller
Embellishments are 10 be found ia most Of our
principal cities. some 100000 packs, ut least.
are manufactured yearly, rs shown by the item
u S3V,uO IN internal revenue receipts, derived
from the nve-cent stamp required by law on
each pack manufactured. This, however, does
not measure the yearly homo consumption OF
Dasteboards, for quite number are imported
nom the best French and English makers.
II we take Into tho account the vast numbe OF
games made and sold yearly, we should pro.
badly reach l2OW,OOO packs OF cards yearly-an
enormous number, but one which Ia still proha-
general and favOrlte amusement am ong our peo-
pie cannot be doubted. nor Is II less certain that
II Is still on the increase, and at the same time
the hing has -, H.