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Show i ' Will "i OLD PLAYINGr GARm SPECIMENS FROM AN ENGLISHMAN'S ENGLISH-MAN'S COLLECTION. " iif$'$tV' Some Rare and Curious.. Devices Amorlg Them Theories aa-to the Introduction In-troduction of Cards Into Europe-Brought Europe-Brought In by Gypsies. Collecting rnro and curious old playing play-ing cards Is qulto n hobby with many peoplo who havo found thorn hn exceedingly ex-ceedingly Interesting and instructive study. Tho dosfgns shown herewith are reproductions of somo of tho playing play-ing cards ln tho possession of Mr. I. Fnlcko, an English gontloman, whoso collection has been pronounced exceedingly ex-ceedingly fine. Mr. Fnlcko has thrco pneks of playjng cards mado of solid A Colored Two of Hearts, silver that aro Interesting, not only on nccount of their intrinsic valuo nnd artistic merit, but on account of tholr peculiar uso. The persecuted Jows of tho Mlddlo Ages woro not permitted to shnro ln the trades and recreations of tho nations na-tions among whom thoy Hvod. Thrown back on tholr own resources they bo-camo bo-camo money lenders, and during tho entire week pursued their calling. On Sunday, tho day of rest and recreation, thoy played cards with each othor, and as tho tearing of paper would havo signified "tho breaking of tho Sabbath," Sab-bath," thoy played with silver cards to avoid this accident Cards have been mndo In tho most dlverso materials, Bllver, lcath'er, paper, pa-per, wood, parchment and cardboard all havo been used In their manufacture. manufac-ture. Tho majority of .tho fanciful cards wero of French manufacture, and. bear witness to tho versatility and lngon ulty ot French Imagination nnd wit; for tho most part they embody tho po- Five of Diamonds at an Old English Call. Htlcal, social and religious questions of the day. Specimens of HIndustnnoo cards, round and square, and beautifully painted In figure subjects, elephants, horses and other animals, aro still In oxlstenco, but theso aro extromoly rare and vory valuable. The ancient Egyptian sorcerers wero Ih tho habit of using symbolical cards called tarot when divining the future Primarily they wore used for this pur-poso pur-poso only, but later on' games or pastimes wero founded on them. Thero nro two theories as to tho Introduction In-troduction of playing cards into Europe. Eu-rope. Ono thoory, and this ono Is tho moro probable, Is that playing cards wero brought to tho West from Egypt by tho Zlngarl or gypsies. The socond theory Is that cards wero relnvontcd ln Europo In 1302, under tho following circumstancos: Charles VI. of Franco had tho mis- Nan) mvb J. iVSrrJil A Clerical Ten of Spades, fortuno to becomo lnsano, and his attendants at-tendants and courtiers wero at tholr wits' ends as to "how to mlnlstor to a mind dlsoasod." Pno of them finally final-ly invented a gamo with Bymhollcal figures and numerals, and paid an artist ar-tist EG sous to paint throe packs to his order. Theso, cards soothed many n V-.U I' f ?!' ' ..,.. . t.t - .-'.. . . hours-, for tho unnnppy. Jcing, nnd" by ' I their interest ""a'WakonQd his stagnant senH,by;?;Th9..ndVQntv of the. kpajilrfadsv: . .to America was.comjianled bjf,oilhjfv f . - , Inn cards IjUroduccOy ''CJb.rUnhork . .. tthanco, rtr-tofcj- rea(fHy"tio lma'gfncd" by those who know tho history of tho- grent navlgator.-J-Now York Worltf.lsm-.c '. r |