Hamburger cards

The Maker

For a description of Conrad Ludwig Wüst, see item 41.

The Cards

Issued as an homage to the city of Hamburg, which at the time of publication was still undergoing major restoration and renovation after the great fire of 1848. The fire blazed continuously for four days and left 20,000 Hamburgers homeless. These cards celebrate the city’s most impressive and iconic buildings, monuments and views, which are displayed on the Aces and the pip cards. The double-figure court cards show a range of historical personages, famous statues and German men and women in native dress. The suit marks appear in the upper left- and lower right-hand corners, and in the centre of the Aces. The unusually slender Spade symbols are characteristic of Wüst’s cards.

The coat-of-arms of Hamburg appears on the Ace of Hearts, surrounded by a banner which reads ‘Hamburger Spielkarten bei der Verlag H. Rübcke’ (‘Hamburg playing cards from the publishing house of H. Rübcke’). It was previously believed that Rübcke was entirely responsible for the deck, but recent research has concluded that the cards were in fact made by Wüst.

[JEGEL, Conrad Johann] [attributed

to]

[European monarchs].

Publication [?Nuremberg, post-1861].

Description

52 engraved playing cards with fine original hand-colour, stamp to one, blue printed hexagonal pattern to versos.

Dimensions 89 by 60mm (3.5 by 2.25 inches).

References

Van den Bergh pp.114-115.

The Maker

Although his imprint is not found on any of the cards, the present deck is thought to be the work of Conrad Johann Jegel. For a description of Jegel, please see item 67.

The Cards

Although the text appears in French, the present deck of cards is thought to have been made in Germany. It shows the most important European monarchs and their palaces. Some of these appear countless times on playing cards of the nineteenth century, such as Queen Victoria and Tsar Alexander II, but it also includes a few rulers who are less well-represented, such as the Turkish Sultan Abdul-Aziz and Queen Amalie of Greece. Each Ace card shows two of the impressive palaces or residences of the Kings and Queens across Europe. Interestingly, only France receives two vignettes dedicated to its buildings:

Clubs – Kremlin, Moscow & Buckingham Palace, London Diamonds – Tuileries Palace, Paris & Fontainebleu Palace, Paris

Hearts – Royal Palace, Madrid & Saray, Constantinople Spades – Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna & Royal Palace, Athens

The court cards show a range of internationally notable figures, the Kings and Queens represented by monarchs, and the Jack cards showing renowned military leaders:

Clubs – Sultan Abdul-Aziz, Isabella of Spain, Admiral d’Autriche/ Archduke Ferdinand Max

Diamonds – Napoleon III/Victor Emanuel, Eugenie of France, Marshall Pellissier/Garibaldi

Hearts – Alexander II, Victoria, Omar Pasha

Spades – Franz-Joseph I, Amelie of Greece, Field-Marshall Count Orloff

The cards can be dated based on the monarchs shown. Both Victor Emanuel of Italy and Abdul-Aziz of Turkey ascended to their thrones in 1861, providing an ante post quem for the deck. The inclusion two most eastern rulers in the deck, Abdul-Aziz, and Queen Amelie of Greece, is interesting, as they had both recently been “in the news”. Abdul-Aziz was the first Ottoman Sultan to travel extensively in Western Europe; while Queen Amelie and her husband, the King of Greece, were expelled from their country in 1862, living out the rest their days in Bavaria.

DOTTI, Edoardo [Luxury playing cards].

Publication

Milan, Edoardo Dotti, 1862.

Description

52 engraved playing cards with fine original hand colour, printed red square pattern to versos.

Dimensions 93 by 54mm (3.75 by 2.25 inches).

References Van den Bergh pp.264-265.

The Maker

Above the suit mark on the Ace of Hearts is found the imprint of “Edoardo Dotti, Milan”. Dotti produced a number of decks of cards during the mid-nineteenth century. He used both the French and the Italian suit systems, and published tarot and playing cards from his workshop in Milan. Along with the imprint is a taxation stamp which shows that the deck was published in 1862. The rest of the text on the stamp reads ‘REGNO D’ITALIA LEGGE 21 Sett. 1862 Gen 30’; the cards were published in the early years of the Kingdom of Italy.

The Cards

A standard set of playing cards using the French suit system, with the double-figure court cards show the royal characters dressed in magnificent costumes. The King and Jack of Diamonds appear set for battle, both wearing ornate armour, while the Jack of Spades is shown wildly brandishing his sword. The figures representing the suit of Hearts are all in eastern costume, with both the men and the woman wearing turbans and the Jack holding a curved sword. The suit marks are shown in the upper left and lower right corner, as usual.

The Ace and pip cards are simple, with the number of suit marks corresponding to the value of each card. On the King of Spades text reads “deposta alla R. Biblioteca” (‘placed in R. Library’), although it is not clear to which particular institution this note refers.

FROMMANN, Maximilian Joseph

Frankfurter Schutzenkarte.

Publication Darmstadt, M. Frommann, 1862.

Description

32 chromolithograph playing cards, pink pattern to versos.

Dimensions 93 by 62mm (3.75 by 2.5 inches).

References Guiard 2, Van den Bergh pp.256-257.

The Maker

Maximilian Joseph Frommann (1813-1866) was an illustrator and cardmaker based in Darmstadt, Germany. After his death, his daughter Anna started a publishing business with her husband Georg Bünte, under the name Frommann & Bünte, while his son Friedrich formed his own firm with Friedrich Morian, named Frommann & Morian. From 1866 to 1872, the siblings worked together to manage their late father’s affairs, and later both went on to publish their own decks of playing cards.

The Cards

The ‘Frankfurter Schützenkarte’ were published in honor of the ‘Erste Deutsches Bundesschiessen’ (‘First German federal shooting competition’), called Schützenfest at that time. This event, with 8000 sharp-shooters from 9 countries, took place from 13 to 21 July, 1862. The Bornheimer Heide, located just outside of Frankfurt, was chosen as festival site; the entrance gate and the party hall are shown on the Aces of Diamonds and Spades.

The court cards are interesting for a variety of reasons. The Schützenfest is again reflected on the Kings of Clubs, Hearts and Spades, which depict competitive marksmen, while the Jacks of Hearts and Diamonds present characters from the Commedia dell’Arte.

The nationalistic spirit is shown on the King of Diamonds and Queen of Clubs, both of which show huge German flags. The sense of patriotism is reinforced by the Queens of Hearts and Diamonds, representing personifications of Germania and Francofurtia.

By contrast, the Jack of Clubs depicts the French king Napoleon III standing beside a boundary marker with clenched fists. Similarly, John Bull, the personification of England, is shown on the Jack of Spades carefully studying the German fleet with binoculars.

The pip cards are more straightforward, with the number of suit marks shown corresponding to the value of each card.

HOFER, R. Schützenkarte.

Publication Frankfurt, C.L. Wüst, 1862.

Description 32 chromolithographic playing cards, blue hexagonal and dotted pattern to versos.

Dimensions 95 by 65mm (3.75 by 2.5 inches).

References Van den Bergh pp.258-259, Yale 2846/ GER444.

The Maker

The imprint of the designer is found on the King of Clubs, reading “R. Hofer in Vervey”. We have been unable to trace any further record of any Swiss artist from this time named Hofer.

Published by Conrad Ludwig Wüst, who was based in Frankfurt where the festival was held. For a description of Wüst, please see item 41.

The Cards

Among the cards published to commemorate the Schützenfest of 1862 is the present deck by Wüst.

The pictorial Ace cards each show a scene from the tournament with a small heading in German, while the court cards represent the countries and provinces that sent marksmen to compete in the shooting contest.

Clubs – Switzerland

Diamonds – Tyrol

Hearts – Frankfurt

Spades – Bremen

The Kings are depicted as individual competitors holding their guns in one hand and a cup in the other – a worrying combination, perhaps. The Queens of Diamonds and Hearts show personifications of Frankfurt and Germany respectively, while the other Queens show women wearing impressive gowns and presenting ornate urns. The Jack of each suit shows a character dressed in the typical clothing associated with the regions represented.

The pip cards simply convey their value through the number of suit marks shown on each one.

[ANONYMOUS]

Jacquemin Gringonneur.

Publication [?Paris, Mlle Hautot et M. Paris, 1864].

Description

52 chromolithograph playing cards, pink pattern to versos.

Dimensions 99 by 64mm (4 by 2.5 inches).

References Giuard 152, Van den Bergh p.253.