ContributorCommunity HistoryDescriptionA boxed set of children's toy playing cards: 52 cards and joker. The cards have a white background with black and red designs in the four suits (club, spade, heart and diamond).
The front of the box is labelled with the brand 'Midget cards', and the back of the box is printed with a picture of Mother Goose on a blue background, wearing a red bonnet and shawl.
The top of the box is damaged and is torn open showing the playing cards stacked vertically inside.CollectionChildhood daysDate createdUnknownHeight (mm)40mmWidth (mm)28mmDepth (mm)18mmMaker marks / inscriptionsMidget cardsMaterialspaper, inkHistorical details
Playing cards were most likely invented in China during the Tang dynasty (9th century), as a result of the usage of woodblock printing technology, and many other countries later adopted their own traditional types of playing card.
The standard 52-card deck includes 13 ranks of each suit (club, spade, heart, and diamond) with reversible 'court' or face cards. Each suit includes an ace, a king, a queen, and a jack, each depicted with a symbol of their suit; and cards numbered two through ten. Commercial packs often include between one and six jokers, but most often two.
During the twentieth century, children would often use a deck of cards to play card games, perform magic tricks, or build a house of cards.
