THE SYMBOL ON THE SWORD OF THE KING OF HEARTS
After searching through over 50 card companies and brands the following patterns emerged.....
Eight pointed star with the blade shaded on the bottom. Straight or curved blade.
The facing pattern is East Coast
The facing pattern is East Coast
This symbol and matching, or closely matching, court card designs occur in:
De La Rue's 1852 deck
Andrew Dougherty's decks
Lewis I. Cohen's decks from the mid-1860s
John J. Levy's American Manufacture deck
The New York Card Factory and the Continental Card Company decks of Samuel Hart.
The curved blade is usually seen in the earlier decks.
The one recurring design symbol here is the yellow and black one in the center started by De La Rue and used by Dougherty.....
De La Rue's 1852 deck
Andrew Dougherty's decks
Lewis I. Cohen's decks from the mid-1860s
John J. Levy's American Manufacture deck
The New York Card Factory and the Continental Card Company decks of Samuel Hart.
The curved blade is usually seen in the earlier decks.
The one recurring design symbol here is the yellow and black one in the center started by De La Rue and used by Dougherty.....
The only surprises here were the symbol and designs are also a very close match for Caterson & Brotz decks and Margaret F. Milward's company of Chicago in 1883.
Andrew Dougherty 1860s Caterson & Brotz Margaret F. Milward 1880s
A diamond with four diagonal points behind it on a blade shaded on the bottom half.
Russell & Morgan facing pattern
Russell & Morgan facing pattern
This was used in the decks with R&M's flipped Jack of Diamonds pattern. I have only seen it, so far, in these decks...
Russell & Morgan (606 brands)
Card Fabrique of Middletown, Ohio
Globe Playing Card of Middletown, Ohio
American Playing Card of Kalamazoo, Michigan
This progression makes sense if you have been to my website about the Longleys. If not then just click the link below to go there...
Russell & Morgan (606 brands)
Card Fabrique of Middletown, Ohio
Globe Playing Card of Middletown, Ohio
American Playing Card of Kalamazoo, Michigan
This progression makes sense if you have been to my website about the Longleys. If not then just click the link below to go there...
This same symbol next would be used in a strictly Western pattern with these decks...........
Russell & Morgan Steamboat
National Card Company of Indianapolis, IN (Early Brands)
Diamond with half shaded blade.
Western facing pattern.
Western facing pattern.
The court cards are a very close match for a Russell & Morgan court design.
Telbax (Red Box Deck) Russell & Morgan
The companies that match this symbol and court card design are in two groups. The first is a group composed of Telbax, Midland Playing Card and the Independent Card Corporation of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. They appear to be three unconnected companies. But, they match because the Telbax Card Company belonged to J. W. Culp, who sold his printing presses to Max B. Sheffer to start his Midland Playing Card Company. Culp then used the symbol again when he went to Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and started a new company called the Independent Card Corporation.
This Telbax King of Hearts would also appear in a 1920s deck for the Ludlow-Saylor Wire Company of St. Louis supposedly made by the Arrow Card Company (later known as ARRCO). There is no connection to J. W. Culp or Max B. Sheffer mentioned in Arrow's lengthy company history written by its founder Theodore Regensteiner. This deck has now been found to be from American Playing Card of Kalamazoo. After 1915 they were absorbed in the United States Playing Card Company and would account for the King of Hearts to match Telbax.
This same symbol would also be used with a slightly different court card design by Russell & Morgan. It would still be a Western pattern and also be used in other companies they were affiliated with:
The National Card Company of Indianapolis (Aladdin brand)
Willis Russell Playing Cards
Kalamazoo Playing Cards (Smart Set Brand)
The Aluminum Manufacturing Card Company
Telbax (Blue Box)
The Standard Playing Card Company
The Telbax connection this time was when they produced a deck that came in a blue box. This Telbax court design was an exact match with the design used by R &M starting in the late 1890s shown above.
The National Card Company of Indianapolis (Aladdin brand)
Willis Russell Playing Cards
Kalamazoo Playing Cards (Smart Set Brand)
The Aluminum Manufacturing Card Company
Telbax (Blue Box)
The Standard Playing Card Company
The Telbax connection this time was when they produced a deck that came in a blue box. This Telbax court design was an exact match with the design used by R &M starting in the late 1890s shown above.
Dark Starburst symbol on a shaded blade
Western facing pattern
Western facing pattern
This symbol and matching court cards appear in decks by Goodall and Victor E. Mauger in the 1870s. Since Mauger represented them in the United States this is no real surprise. But, the symbol and exact court design appear again in the 1890s as the Knickerbocker deck of Albany, New York. This is about the time Mauger is leaving the playing card business. Looks like more research is needed about this connection.
Dark Starburst symbol on a shaded blade
One of a Kind Pattern
One of a Kind Pattern
This similar looking symbol to the last one belongs to the Sterling Card Company. This mysterious company was located at 24 Vesey Street in New York City. The cards are now known to be made by the American Phototype Company between 1876 and 1880.
This deck is listed in the Encyclopedia of American Playing Cards under the designation U37. The court cards match up with no one though a couple look like Samuel Hart designs. The pattern of card facings is also unique and the pips are not consistently in one corner. American Phototype did printing of tax revenue stamps, post cards and children's books. They had no experience with playing cards.
The cards were done by electrotype printing that the company was known for.
This deck is listed in the Encyclopedia of American Playing Cards under the designation U37. The court cards match up with no one though a couple look like Samuel Hart designs. The pattern of card facings is also unique and the pips are not consistently in one corner. American Phototype did printing of tax revenue stamps, post cards and children's books. They had no experience with playing cards.
The cards were done by electrotype printing that the company was known for.
Even the faces on the Sterling cards are ones not seen before
White Starburst on a shaded blade
East Coast facing pattern
East Coast facing pattern
This is a John J. Levy symbol. He is the only one to also give the King of Hearts a thicker beard and two rolls of curls on the left side in some of his brands.
John J. Levy in the 1860s and John J. Levy's American Manufacture deck
This symbol and court card design with the thick beard and extra curls will also appear as Paper Fabrique's Eagle brand.
White Dot in a Black Square within a White Partial Square with a shaded blade
Western and East Coast facing patterns
Western and East Coast facing patterns
This first appears when two East Coast makers switched to a Western pattern. They were Samuel Hart's Consolidated Card Company Squeezers (ca 1877) and New York Consolidated Card Company's Triton No.42 Brand.
It next appears when Russell & Morgan flips their Jack of Diamonds about 1896 and it becomes an East Coast pattern which is still seen today.
The one difference that stands out is this design is on the trim of the King of Heart's robe. The Russell & Morgan card has the traditional symbols for ermine, but the others have a stylized version.
It next appears when Russell & Morgan flips their Jack of Diamonds about 1896 and it becomes an East Coast pattern which is still seen today.
The one difference that stands out is this design is on the trim of the King of Heart's robe. The Russell & Morgan card has the traditional symbols for ermine, but the others have a stylized version.
Russell & Morgan Samuel Hart
In heraldry ermine consists of a white background with a pattern of black shapes. This is to represent the winter fur of the stoat which is a species of weasel with white fur and a black-tipped tail.
The linings of medieval coronation cloaks and some other garments, usually reserved for use by high-ranking peers and royalty, were made by sewing many ermine furs together to produce a luxurious white fur pattern of hanging black-tipped tails.
This ermine symbol will only appear on a King or Queen.
In heraldry, it has become especially associated with the Duchy of Brittany (or Bretagne) in France. Its territory covered the northwestern peninsula of Europe, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and the English Channel to the north. This is their Coat of Arms.
The Russell & Morgan deck also has the black and yellow Dougherty symbol mentioned earlier.
White Dot in a Black Square within a White Square with a shaded blade
East Coast facing pattern
East Coast facing pattern
This symbol is very close to the previous one. It belongs to the Union Card Company of New York City. There is no other match to this symbol. But, the court cards are an exact match to Andrew Dougherty's designs of the 1850s.
Union cards on top and Samuel Hart on the bottom
Union cards on top and Samuel Hart on the bottom
Four pointed star in a dark square with a shaded blade
East Coast facing pattern
East Coast facing pattern
This symbol appears in New York Consolidated Card Company decks. The King of Hearts has the Andrew Dougherty black and yellow symbol.
Starburst on black background with a shaded blade
East Coast Pattern
East Coast Pattern
This is a symbol used by Excelsior Playing Cards and Samuel Hart. The courts are a match. The main difference is that Excelsior leaves the area in the middle blank.
Horizontal heart in dark square with a shaded blade
East Coast facing pattern
East Coast facing pattern
Used by Andrew Dougherty in their Marguerite No.130 and Moon #1 brands after he joined United States Playing Card in 1907. This King of Hearts also has a stylized ermine symbol on the fur of the robe.
The only other brand I have seen this symbol on are the celluloid cards made by Whitehead & Hoag.
Half of a Sunburst on a dark background with a half shaded blade
East Coast facing pattern
East Coast facing pattern
This symbol was used by Perfection Playing Card. The courts are not a close match to any other makers.
Shaded bottom half of blade
East Coast facing pattern
East Coast facing pattern
This was used by Russell Playing Card (on the left) and American Bank Note (on the right).
Their courts are almost a perfect match. Instead of the ermine symbol on the robe they use a stylized fluer-de-lis.
Their courts are almost a perfect match. Instead of the ermine symbol on the robe they use a stylized fluer-de-lis.
Standard Playing Card would have a similar symbol, but with a Western pattern and completely different court design.
By the 1920s Standard would switch to a United States Playing Card symbol, court card design and Western pattern.
Shaded top half of blade
R& M facing pattern
R& M facing pattern
This symbol was used by the Kalamazoo Playing Card Company. The interesting thing is they used the Russell & Morgan pattern from between 1883 and 1893 but the company was formed in 1903. The courts are very close to different USPC associated companies styles, but not any one brand. By the time they are producing their Smart Set brand Kalamazoo now has Russell & Morgan's symbol and courts listed above. (Diamond with half shaded blade and Western pattern.)
A blade with wavy horizontal lines
Western facing pattern
Western facing pattern
The only appearance of this symbol is by the American Playing Card Company of New York City about 1886. This King of Heart design was a break with "tradition" in that they did not use the ermine symbol on this card. The courts do not match any other brands known at this time.
This deck was used in giveaways in 1886 by tobacco maker P. Lorillard for their new cut plug brand called "Splendid". The trade-mark was registered on January 14, 1886 and advertised soon after.
The Ace of Spades was a Caterson & Brotz design. 1886 was the same year they expanded to New York City.
This company is listed in the Encyclopedia of American Playing Cards as;
L10 AMERICAN PLAYING CARD CO., New York, c1876. A beautifully made deck with gold edges, which came in a sturdy telescope box. The Joker is quite similar to L9. The courts (King of Hearts shown) are a very unusual style.
We now know this date is incorrect.
In 1886 Frank M. Gordon filed a lawsuit against his employer the Reynold Card Manufacturing Company because of an on the job injury. During his testimony he stated his company had printed cards for the American Playing Card Company. They also would become Caterson & Brotz's sole agent in New York City.
L10 AMERICAN PLAYING CARD CO., New York, c1876. A beautifully made deck with gold edges, which came in a sturdy telescope box. The Joker is quite similar to L9. The courts (King of Hearts shown) are a very unusual style.
We now know this date is incorrect.
In 1886 Frank M. Gordon filed a lawsuit against his employer the Reynold Card Manufacturing Company because of an on the job injury. During his testimony he stated his company had printed cards for the American Playing Card Company. They also would become Caterson & Brotz's sole agent in New York City.
No sword
This oddity comes from Huestis & Levy about 1855 when they started making double-ended cards. The King does not even have a sword. The facing pattern is East Coast.
No sword
Another "tradition" breaking design of court cards was the North American Card Company of Chicago in the late 1890s. Again, no sword, but a version of a medieval pike. The facing pattern was Western. This, I feel, was because the company's founders were Chicago businessman with no playing card making experience.
Then by the early 1920s Chicago artists and card makers like the S. F. Hanzel Card Company (on the left) and August Petrtyl &Son (on the right) take the court cards to a completely different style. Information suggests that Hanzel and Petryl, both Czechs and artists, knew each other in Chicago.