Shimmering Seven

Modern-style playing cards based on the evolution of an early (ca 1500) regional French design from Lyon.

The premise of the Shimmering Seven playing cards is: how could it look if a different early French regional playing card pattern had been the starting point for the way English playing cards evolved? The result would be a set of cards that resemble modern English-pattern cards, but with a different set of court figures at the heart of the design, unrelated to the typical English court figures (which are of course derived from a French regional pattern from Rouen).

My design for Shimmering Seven is based on court cards from from the card-making centre of Lyon, as exemplified by cards from Perrocet (ca 1500) and from Rosnet (ca 1520). Some features of the court cards: all the kings are young, one of then carries a bird on his arm, all the jacks carry axes ...

Changes I made in going from the Lyonnais designs to the finished card artwork include: the court figures have been made double-ended, four corner indices have been added to all the cards, the court figures have been "turned" (mirror imaged) if necessary so that the pip symbols are all in the top-left part of the card.

The pip cards are standard. There are four corner indices. As expected for cards in the "English style", the ace of spades is fancy.

The designs for the card back and tuck box both reflect the "ancient and modern" idea that underlies these cards. Thus they both incorporate "gothic architectural" elements in a more modernist or unembellished interpretation.

Bridge-size cards printed in 2024 in Spain by Cartamundi / Fournier on standard smooth-finish playing-card board. 52-card deck plus 4 extra cards. The cards are delivered in a custom printed tuck box.

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Available to order now ... (other countries please get in touch)