Cary Playing Card Collection

The records of The Jumble Club, a group dedicated to playing whist (and *only* whist) which thrived in Glasgow, Scotland, approximately between 1799 and 1877. The records consist of 4 ledgers containing minutes of meetings, with additional meeting minutes, inventories, insurance policy, checkbook. flyers and other related papers and ephemera. And they came in a lovely metal coffer, complete with a set of keys, none of which fit the box lock.

A selection of handmade and delicately stencil-printed playing cards, made by inmates of Russian prisons, ca. 1980s - 1990s.

Another sample book, for cards produced in, and proudly representing, the Irish Free State, ca. 1936.

A saleman's sample book for a line of playing cards produced in Northern Germany, circa the early 1950s.  

From the "Vacuation" card game, England, ca. 1940

Back patterns for American playing cards (from the Cary Collection) USA3 USA167 USA10 USA9

Portrait of George Washington on a playing card, Hearts (Cary USA 204)