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The reference work concerning the history and art of packs of cards

The reference work concerning the history of playing cards.

D’ALLEMAGNE, Henry René. Les cartes à jouer du XIVe au XXe siècle.
Paris, Hachette, 1906.

2 thick volumes 4to [320 x 245 mm] of: I/ (2) ll., XVI pp. and 504 pp. ; II/ (2) ll. and 640 pp.

Bound in beige cloth, editor’s illustrated covers and spine stuck on the cloth, top edge gilt. Title-pages printed in red and black.

Superb work containing 3200 reproductions of cards including 956 in colour, 12 watercoloured plates out of pagination, 25 collotypes, 116 illustrated envelops for packs of cards and 340 vignettes and views.

The second volume is dedicated to working communities, guilds of card makers and to the making of cards in all France.

This is the reference work concerning the history and art of packs of cards.
This exhaustive work of erudition produced by Henry René d’Allemagne covers the origin, the evolution and the social aspects of playing cards from the 1370’s to the first decade of the 20th century.

The two superb volumes are illustrated with thousands of illustrations, including many in colour. In addition to the 3200 cards reproductions, the work presents countless images recounting the history and the evolution of this game through the centuries.

A beautiful copy of this remarkable work.

Price:  € 4 000

A catalogue with more than 1500 samples of fabrics

A very interesting catalogue with more than 1500 samples of fabrics
offered to fashion houses.

Album of samples of fabrics meant for the fashion houses.
France, about 1920.

Folio [475 x 320 mm], with more than 1500 samples of fabrics pasted on 171 pages. Few samples are missing. Bound in contemporary grey half-cloth.

A very interesting album of samples offering a wide collection of fabrics with multiple patterns and colours: self-coloured, striped, squared, plaid, decorated with flowers, with geometric designs …

This volume presents the annual collection offered by a cloth factory to one of their clients, probably a fashion house. Each sample pasted in the album is numbered so that the clients can place their order easily.

The patterns are printed on different kinds of materials such as silk, satin, crêpe or muslin.

This album was probably made by a French factory (as we can see titles handwritten in French at the top of the pages: “dessin”) but rapidly exported to Germany (handwritten notes in German were added all along the album).

A good collection of samples of materials preserved in a contemporary binding.

Price: €5 500