Playing cards, anniversary conference in London
Sep. 09, 1957 - 125th Anniversary Of Playing card Printing To Be Celebrated: Delegates from all over the world will gather in London on October 8 and 9 for a conference of playing card manufacturers to mark the 125th anniversary of the first printing of playing cards by the typographical process. A highlight of the conference will be an exhibition of playing cards spanning five centuries. Photo shows: Some playing cards to be exhibited. Top left: the ace of spades and the king of diamonds from the first pack printed by the typographical process in 1832 by Thomas de la Rue and Company Limited of London, England. As a one-shilling duty was paid on the ace, it was printed on a government press from a copper engraving and it was the only card in the pack not typographically printed. Bottom left: An uncut sheet of three German woodcuts produced about 1460. They are the other knave (modern equivalent the queen) of three different suits represented by the bear, the lion and the dog. Top and Bottom right: cards from the winning deck of an international competition organized by the de la Rue Company in connection with the celebration. They are by the French artist Jean Picart le Doux. Features of them are treatment of the index figures denoting values and the layout of the suit symbols. They will be used for the first time at an international bridge tournament which is also part of the celebration
