A RARE STANDARD DECK OF ENGLISH PLAYING CARDS

A RARE STANDARD DECK OF ENGLISH PLAYING CARDS

BY C.HEWSON, LATE 17TH CENTURY

the fifty-two woodblock playing cards comprising: four suits of thirteen cards including three full-length court cards with hand-colouring, the Jack of Clubs inscribed 'C HEWSON', with gilt edging and plain backs (52)

9.2 x 6cm (max)

Catalogue Note

This lot is being offered with the remains of a wrapper with a printed label inscribed 'Primemall Superfine Cards made by Robert Whitfield at the home of ye Knave of Diamonds in Cranborn-Street Inst by Lester Square Who was Cardmaker to King Queene & Prince'. A separate section of wrapper is inscribed in ink 'Cards that King Charles & Queen Catherine played with'. A further note states 'Cards that King Charles and Queen Catherine played with at my great Grandfathers Mr Amherst of Riverhead in their way to Tunbridge Wells. Margaret Perkins'. Both pieces of wrapper and the note have been mounted on backing paper, one has a 'GR crowned' watermark.

The Mr Amherst in question is almost certainly Jeffery Amherst (1649-1713) a lawyer who lived at Brook or Brooks Place, Riverhead. His father John Amherst (1619-1691) who was also a lawyer, was financially successful and and had political ambitions standing for parliament unsucessfully for Seaford in 1671. Jeffery married Elizabeth Yate in 1670 and had eight children. Their daughter Margaret married a John Seyliard and they had five children, their daughter Annabella marries John Perkins but she died without issue. John Perkins then marries the widow of Annabella's brother Thomas Seyliard. They have two children, a son John and a daughter Margaret Perkins, who wrote the note in the late 18th century stating that the playing cards were played with by King Charles II and Queen Catherine of Braganza. Queen Catherine by all accounts was a keen card player and they could well have stayed with the Amhersts on their way to Tunbridge Wells c.1663.