Volume 8–4 (Low Res).pdf - U&lc

4
For most of us, a deck of cards is a deck
of cards — a commonplace, unremarkable
item. But when you stop to contemplate the
idea of playing cards, it becomes something
of a phenomenon of our civilization. Rich,
poor... old, young ...wizard/yokel— everybody
has some experience with cards in the
course of a lifetime. Even a little 3-yr-old
we know, when asked if she could count to
ten, replied, "Of course!" and proceeded to
praying cards they're not just for paying
demonstrate: "One, two, three,four, ve, six,
seven, eight, nine, ten, jack, queen, ng !"
And that's just one instance of how thoroughly
cards have permeated our culture.
For most of us, also, playing "cards"
translates into a game— Bridge, Canasta,
Poker, Pinochle, Blackjack, Casino, Hearts,
Rummy (in an infinite variety of versions),
Solitaire, and so on. We've seen cards used
for conjurin.g,fortuneteffing and parlor tricks.
But for some people, the name of the
game is collecting.
The series of cards spread out on the next
few pages are from the -collection of Mr.
Leonard Schneir of New York City. His collection
is devoted to American cards of the
19th and 20th centuries. Other private collectors
have their specialties But the histoiy,
esthetics and cultural ramifications of
playing cards have made them collectors'
items for art museums, historical societies
and major libraries throughout the world.
There is much to learn about costumes,
politics, social mores, religious attitudes
and moral persuasions of an era by examining
their playing cards, as scholars and
collectors have been doing.
It would be unforgivable to launch into a
discourse on playing cards without digging
back into their origin. But nailing down
facts turns into an exercise in futility and
frustration. All the reference material is
replete with phrases like, "it could be,' "supposed,"
"it is believed,' etc., etc. So in the
same spirit, we offer this brief synopsis of
historical data: Playing cards may have been
invented in China, about 1120 A.D.,for
the amusement of a reigning potentate and
his concubines ... or thousands of years
earlier in India.... or in Egypt... or among
Arabic tribes.
As for their introduction into Europe,