Playing cards

Auction offered near-complete example of the set that also formed a first pocket atlas of England and Wales

This set of 36 cards is an early edition of what became known as 'Petit Etteilla' cartomancy (fortune-telling) cards.

From late 1940 to early 1941 André Breton and a group of other Surrealists including Wifredo Lam, Max Ernst, Oscar Dominguez, Victor Brauner, André Masson and Frédéric Delanglade re-located to Marseille where they anxiously awaited visas to escape occupied France.

Another tranche of items from the Dudley Ollis collection of playing cards was offered at a recent Dominic Winter auction.

Held at the Bath & West Showground in Somerset for many years, the annual Festival of Cards has moved to a smaller location nearby.

Illustrated here is a complete deck of James Moxon’s ‘Geometrical’ cards, each bearing figures of scientific instruments and dating from the mid-1690s.

Gambling memorabilia and playing cards provided the twin attractions of a sale held by Potter & Potter (20% buyer’s premium) of Chicago, where the day’s top lot proved to be a famous book with a local imprint.

Dealer Timothy Millett, a specialist in historical medals and associated works of art, has launched a website to sell greeting cards based on images of some of his favourite objects.

Star turn among some 120 lots of playing cards offered as part of a Stroud Auctions (18% buyer’s premium) sale was the last to be offered. A complete set of Charles Hodges’ Astronomical Playing Cards, it sold online for £3000.

Ephemera Society member Robertino Poposki has been awarded the silver prize in the ephemera class at the Spring Stampex 2018, organised by the Association of British Philatelic Societies.

Coming up trumps at Stamford auctioneers Batemans (20% buyer’s premium) on May 6 was a full pack of 52 Georgian playing cards.