Researches into the History of Playing Cards - With Illustrations of the Origin of Printing and Engraving on Wood (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1816 Excerpt: ...addo suos. Vtimur argenti, radiantis & utimur auri Munere, cum rerum postulat ordo vices. Omnibus his furias pictoribus imprecor omnes. Qui bene nec pingunt, nec vigilanter agunt. haired brush. The colour being poured on a wooden trencher, and the brush moderately filled with it; the stensil or Patrone was laid over the print to be coloured, and the brush passed over all the pierced parts of it, by which means the print was charged with colour in all those parts. The process was so rapid, that even now when they speak of dispatch in works of art, in Suabia and other places where the business of Briefmahler was exercised, they talk of painting all the twelve apostles at one stroke."' This expression also manifests that it was not uncommon to have the twelve apostles, or a number of saints, &c. engraved on one block, and printed on one sheet; it was also the case with regard to playing cards, which were converted into books of moral instruction, as the following instances will manifest. In the Bibliotheca Universalis of Conrad Gesner, under the article de ludis, mention is made of cards with sentences from the ancient poets; of others, with French verses, and with sentences from the bible in German, as being sold by Wechel at Paris. The beautiful pack of cards, engraved by Jost Amnion, of which the succeeding pages afford specimens, is accompanied by moral distichs in Latin and German, and were published in the form of a small volume in 4to. as well as for the purpose of playing cards. Their moral intention was apparently to inculcate the advantages of Industry and Learning over Idleness and Drunkenness. The subjects are for the most part treated humourously; the four suits are books, printers balls, wine pots, and drinking cups. We shall give a ...