The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1919-06-13
History Of Playing Cards

Cards for playing games were used
in Egypt during the time of Joseph.
writes Robert F. Salade in the Amer
lean Printer. There is evidence to
support this and also the fact that
playing cards were used in China long
before their introduction into Europe.
The Chinese dictionary states that
they were invented in China 112O A.
d. History tells uss that cards were
being used by a few people in Europe
in about the middle of the fourteenth
century, and that they were in gener-
al use in Europe in the beginning of
the fifteenth century.
Some historians claim that the
Crusaders brought the practice of
playing cards from the East where
the Crusaders had been in contact
with the Saracens who were known
as card players and gamblers. The
Crusaders were also great gamblers
and they had a strong liking for cares.
In the sixteenth century playing cards
were being used in every country of
Europe.
In the early days before the inven-
ton of printing, various kinds of ma
terial were painted for the cards, and
the designs were painted in colors.
Papyrus was used for the cards in
Egypt and China. When the first
missionaries entered China they found
som of the natives playing with
cards which were about half the size
of the cards used in this country to-
day. The Chinese called the cards
'shen', meaning a fan, for the reason
that the cards when held in the hand
resembled the shape of a fan. The
chinese pack contained thirty cards,
in three suits of nine each, and three
superior cards.
With the Anglo-Saxons in all parts
of the world the pack contains fifty
two, in four suits of thirteen each, i.
e., king, queen, jack, and ten cards
from ten to one, according to the num-
Der of pips.
The early Italians and Spaniards,
instead of applying hearts, clubs, dia-
monds and spades to the cards Gas in
the present time) had swords to re-
present the nobility, chalices for the
clergy, coins for the citizens, and
clubs, or slaves, to represent the
.peasantry.
1t would require a long article in it.
self to go into the history of the art
istic establishment of playing cards
since the time of their introduction
into Europe. Among some of the
many designs were horsemen, eleph-
ants, hawks, bells, flowers, birds and
tumblers. Not a few of these en-
bellishments could be classed as fine
art. The colorings in many instances
were delightful.
THE DEVILS picture books" we're no
doubt brought to the Ne wWorld dur
ing the time of Cortes' conquest of
Mexico, in 1919. Herrera mentions
when Cortes invaded Mexico
King Montezuma took pleasure in
watching the Spanish soldiers playing
cards.
Cards were for a long period in
Europe continued as a fashionable
game. Some of the old games which
played with cards were known
as London" MODIFY" "Macke,"
'Oubre," "Gleek," Post and Pam"
and "Bankrout," but today these are
only GHOSTS of the past"
There is a record of cards being
manufactured in New York in the
year 184S, and even at that period it
seems that the Americans did not
kings or queens, or ever por-
of kings and queens, for the
or the cards were President
Of Hearts, George Washington; Presi-
dent of Diamonds, John Adams; OF
clubs, Benjamin Franklin; of spades,
Lafayette. The queens" were We
nus, Fortune, Ceres and Minerva. The
hnaves were Represented by picturesJ
IF indian chiafc