Playing Cards in Literature #1: The Virginians by William Makepeace Thackeray

Harper's Monthly Magazine, July 1858 (enlarge)

It's been said that The Virginians by Thackeray was the worst novel ever written by a great novelist. Some critics even went so far as to call it the worst novel ever written despite every page being thoroughly interesting, as it was incongruous and forever losing its narrative. I haven't read it but own an 1858 Harper's Monthly serialization of it which has some great illustrations including a witch and, of course, a disembodied hand holding aloft three playing cards as shown above. Since I probably think about the latter more than my own child or the woman that I love, I present it here to stop me from literally gnawing it out of the book.

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The witch illustration was just a mere collateral visage found along the way to more card playing illustrations, but am I wrong to think that the third illustration shown resembles The Fool of Tarot lore?

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The other two drawings are self-explanatory. The 19th century aristocracy was just as frivolous as our modern dullard is, all children excluded from such scorn.

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Atlasnye Russian Playing Card Deck

This Atlasnye (Атласные) (Russian word for "satin") Ace of Diamonds from a Russian playing card deck is based on a design by the Russian painter Adolf Iosifovich Charlemagne (1826-1901) (Адольф Иосифович Шарлемань) from1862. Although the original deck seemingly had 52 cards this vintage one that I purchased from Ukraine recently only has 36. I will post the entire deck as time permits.

The Satin Ace

Playing Card Marginalia

I'm completely obsessed with cards that have fortunes written on their face. This card that I recently purchased, which is indicated to be a Ten of Diamonds, has the definition written out to be "Treachery. Subterfuge. Duplicity." on one end and the other "Confidence. Security. Honor. Good Faith." While this differs from Wenzell Brown's definition the card also looks more Tarot than playing card to me in the guise of the Ten of Swords. Other instances which I've encountered are more in line with the standard deck of cards. There's a really nice example of a cartomancy self-learner deck on Etsy but the exorbitant Canadian shipping costs are stopping me from biting on the pack. It's nothing special in the way of vintage and antique cards and realistically I could create my own from my supply of vintage decks with a fountain pen if needs be. Though, knowing myself, I'll produce something like I did below on the spur of the moment after having ...

cardomancy

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