This reproduction set of French playing cards comes in its own muslin bag and is a perfect gift or camping accessory. Our set of cards comes with a free handout of early card games so you can be authentic in your play as well as your deck! This reproduction card deck is dated to 1567 and is based on a set of face cards by Pierre Marechal of Rouen, France. The cards of Rouen are significant because many were produced for export to Britain. English merchants are even said to have bought them for re-export to other countries. In 1628 England banned the importation of cards, and English printers were shown to use Rouen face cards as inspiration for their own cruder, more stylized decks which became the standard motifs still used in many modern decks.
This a full 52-card deck without jokers (Jokers were not added until the 19th century.) The backs are blank as was the common style on early cards.
This product was added to our catalog on Monday 09 April, 2007.
