- The first set of cards was recorded in a story called Miscellanea at Duyang Collection. They date back to the 9 th century. It is estimated that around that same time playing cards were invented in ancient China. The first playing cards were nothing like today's French Standard 52 deck.
- A Brief History of Playing Cards. Playing Cards have existed for millennia and around them hundreds of games and conventions have been devised. It is upon their fall, their suits and their ranks that fortunes have been dashed and players been daunted. The standard deck comprises 52 cards.
- Playing Cards Have Been Around For Centuries. Scholars have argued that the 'game of leaves,' played in China in the 9th century, was the earliest card game. While different forms of card games.
- Above: Mamluk playing card, three of cups, c.1520. Istanbul, Topkapi Seray Museum. Above: four of cups from a set of Moorish playing cards, XV century. Above: Chinese playing cards. Above: Korean printing with movable type from the Goryeo dynasty (13th century).
History Of The Playing Card
Playing cards have been around in some form or another dating all the way back to 9th century China. By the 14th Century, they were making their way around Europe. There were two primary design patterns popular in Europe at this time: Parisian (popular in France) and Rouennais (popular in England), the latter of these having a great deal of influence on the card designs that most of us know today.
History of Bridge - The origin of playing cards was in China, where paper was invented, dates back to around the year 1120. Originally, cards were used for fortune telling and gambling. Cards were introduced into Italy and Spain around 1370, probably coming from Egypt. Tarot cards, used for fortune telling, were introduced in Italy in 1440. In 1432, Saint Bernardo warned the 'Faithful' that cards were invented by the Devil, later picked up by the English Puritans -- often regarded a 'The Devil's Picture Book'. By 1495, Henry VII issued a Decree forbidding his servants from playing cards except during the Christmas Holiday. Later, Elizabeth the First levied a tax on the manufacture of playing cards, which generated significant revenues for the Crown. By the era of Queen Anne, card playing was in full swing. Men preferred Piquet, women loved Ombre, while the Clergy and Country Squires played Whist. Have you ever wondered why the Ace of Spades looks so distinctive? Well, it was the official stamp of certification to indicate that the proper English tax was paid on that deck of cards (the Stamp Office kept the only stock of pre-stamped Aces of Spades) -- the card manufacturers were forbidden to produce that Ace. This tax hung around all the way onto 1960, yet the unique look of the Ace of Spades still is found on most decks. By 1860, Europeans as well as Americans accepted card rank naming convention, markings on the faces that declared their values. As far as the 'faces' themselves, the French invented two patterns:
The faces on the Kings were based on historical Rulers:
The faces on the Queens are not quite as clear:
The Jacks, or 'Knaves' (Valet) as they are sometimes referred to, are:
Looking at the characters by segment, we see:
For more on playing cards, seeInternational Playing Card Society Also see Card Names Some believe that the 12 Honors of the deck refer to the 12 signs of the Zodiac or the 12 months of the year. They say the two colors (Red and Black) refer to the Solstice and Equinox phases. They see the four Suits as the four Seasons, the entire pack of 52 cards representing the 52 weeks of the year, and the 13 cards in each Suit being the same as the weeks in each quarter of the year (Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall). Bridge was derived from Russian Whist, called was called Biritch, meaning an announcer (players 'announce or herald' their auction). Books on Whist date back to the mid-1700's. The first book was written by none other than Edmond Hoyle, titled Short Treatise Eventually, the French began using ordinary stencils, which could be cheaply produced. Thus, the cost-effective French cards were widely used in England and the United States. For some time, the designations on the 'face cards' varied, but when the French accepted Napoleon as their leader, they reinstated the notion of the King and Queen. However, Napoleon didn't care for their medieval look, believing they should be 'archaeologically correct'. So an artist was assigned to design authentic costumes on the cards. But Napoleon's cards weren't liked by the masses so the medieval cards resurfaced. The first President of the United States, George Washington, enjoyed Bridge. In fact, he enjoyed small wagers on the game, apparently to make it more exciting In 1857, the English began playing Whist in a 'duplicate' method to eliminate most of the luck associated with the deal of the cards. In 1883, American's began playing inner-club matches. In 1891, a duplicate tray was invented, used to hold the cards separately so players could replay the identical cards. The idea was to eliminate chance and provide a true test of skill. The boards were originally called the Kalamazoo tray. Early accounts indicate that in 1903, some of the British civil servants stationed in India created a method of bidding the trump suit, coined 'auction bridge.' A later account dates auction bridge back to 1894, with Turkish or Russian origin from Plevna during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878. By 1893, Bridge was introduced in New York, using formal rules that were recently printed by Henry Barbey. Then in 1925, the American multi-millionaire Harold Vanderbilt, introduced exciting scoring bonuses in Bridge (while on a cruise ship). With this change, auction Bridge became known as 'contract bridge'. In 1931, Ely Culbertson wrote the number one and two book seller of any book, titled The Culbertson Summary and the Blue Book. By the late 1400's, Suits began to appear on cards (the Suits -- Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, and Clubs are know as the French National Suits) -- the first three Suits are presumably adapted from the German Leaves, Hearts and Hawk Bells. Over the next 200 years, the Suits became standardized. Due to the intricate designs on the 'face' cards, the cost to purchase playing cards was originally quite expensive (due to the hand painting) although that didn't keep the 'commoners' from using them. Demand by the populous led to mass production using a technique using the woodcut. The card designs were carved on woodblocks, then inked and printed on paper. These papers were then glued to blank card stock. Around the mid-1400's, the French incorporated suit signs and flat silhouettes in only black and red colors. Incidentally, a regular deck of playing cards are 8.9cm long x 6.3cm wide. But since Bridge players hold 13 cards, the Bridge deck is 8.8cm long x 5.7cm wide. |
History Of All Card Games
Regular playing cards are not as innocent as some people would like to believe. I believe that they are used by Satan to seduce people into other activities. I also believe that they will cause a Christian to lose his love for Jesus and his desire to live for Him. Some of the most common places you will find a deck of cards (besides our homes) will be with prostitutes, gamblers, thieves, murderers, in taverns, brothels, prisons, insane asylums, gambling dens, etc., but never at a prayer meeting. Just recently I ran across an article by J.D. Carlson dealing with this subject, and I am going to share it with you. SHOULD CHRISTIAN PEOPLE PLAY CARDS? I am giving this message on card playing because I have been asked by several people to deal with this topic. For millions of people the card game has a strong and a strange fascination. Where ever you go you see people playing cards. On my missionary journey, as I fly, I often see people playing cards by the hour. I would remind you today that cards have always been looked upon with suspicion by good and godly people. My mother felt so bad when my dad, who was a wonderful man, said he saw no harm in card playing and introduced it to our home. My father said he saw no harm at all in card playing. People ask me, 'What really is the difference between playing a game of checkers and a game of cards?' Well, there is an ocean of difference between the two games and I will endeavor to show you why. The Church in days gone by took its stand against the card game; ministers preached against it and big bonfires were built as people burned their playing cards. Dr. Talmadge, as great a minister as ever served the Presbyterian denomination, said he would rather have his children play with a nest of rattlesnakes than with a deck of cards. Of course this was years ago. Today and for many years the Church and the pulpit have been silent in speaking against card playing. This is interesting! The first deck of cards was invented by King Charles of France in the year 1392. King Charles was an insane man, by the way. Now you perhaps have never heard this - so notice carefully what I am going to say. A deck of cards used to be called, 'The Devil's Bible' and in the Seventeenth Century it was called, 'The Devil's Picture Book'. This is very important for us to know. Each card in the deck has a special meaning. Men who know tell me this is true, the cards have a secret language. Here is what I mean.
When did online gambling start. But, also, the climax of all that is diabolical in connection with the language of cards is this: Jesus Christ, the joker, is said to be the child, the offspring, of the licentious Jack and the Queen. I wish I didn't have to tell this. It is so vile, so dreadful in its implication, that every man and woman who loves and adores the Saviour who died to redeem us with His own blood must cry out in protest against such blasphemy. So every card in the deck has a secret meaning, and all alike are teaching opposition to God and His sacred Word. After what has been said about the Jack, the Queen, and the Joker, there is no need of further exposure of the card language. Let me ask you a question: 'Why don't people when they play cards first ask God to bless their card game?' Can you do that? Of course you cannot. Well, the Bible said, 'Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him' (Colossians 3:17) Remember that nine-tenths of all gambling is done with cards. Also, remember that nine-tenths of those who gamble today learned to play cards at home. No Christian should play cards. Surely no Sunday School teacher should play cards. The Bible said, 'Touch not the unclean thing' (II Corinthians 6:17) As far as I am concerned I would not allow the 'Dirty Deck' to desecrate my Christian home and tarnish my testimony. Back to Being Berean: Various Subjects and The Bible's Answers |
