Playing Cards

Playing cards were likely invented during the Tang Dynasty in China around the 9th century AD as a result of using woodblock printing technology. Playing cards began to appear in Europe in the late 1300's and early 1400s and had been imported to Europe by gypsies, crusaders , or traders during the Mamluk period (1250 - 1517).

These early decks had emblems of cups, coins, swords, and polo-sticks, which represent the main interests of the Mamluk aristocracy. 

The court cards come from the late 14th century in Italy are typically included a mounted king, a seated and crowned queen, plus a knave. The knave is a royal servant, although the character could also represent a ‘prince’ and would later be called a Jack to avoid confusion. 

Queens came and went, eventually finding their place under the King. Packs of 56 cards containing in each suit a king, queen, knight, and knave (as in tarot) were once common in the 15th century.

The first playing cards in Italy were hand-painted and beautiful luxury items found only among the upper classes. As card playing became more popular, methods were developed to produce them more cheaply, which made playing cards became more widely available with soldiers assisting with the cards rapid spread across Europe.

Early in the 15th century, the French developed the icons for the four suits that we commonly use today; hearts, spades, diamonds, and clubs and to divide the pack into four suits -two red and two black, with simplified and clearer symbols. Playing cards could now be produced with stencils, a hundred times more quickly than using the traditional techniques of wood-cutting and engraving. With improved manufacturing and printing processes cards became very common. 

Standardised cards accelerated in the 1700s when tax on playing cards was introduced. But it was only when playing cards emigrated to England that a common design really began to dominate the playing card industry.