Beschreibung:

Finéde Brianville (Claude Oronce). Jeu d'Armoiries des Souverains et estats d'Europe, pour apprendre le Blason, la Geographie & l'Histoire curieuse ..., 2nd edition, Lyon: Benoist Coral, 1660, printed title card, 47 (of 52) engraved playing cards (French suits), depicting coats-of arms of European states and provinces, with a short description (or blazonment) beneath, each upper left corner with the suit-sign, the court cards are marked R (roi), D (dame) and P (prince), and the aces have been replaced by chevalier cards (marked C), hearts and diamonds with red stencilled suit-signs, dusty with spotting, some brown marks or stains (particularly affecting chavelier of spades), one corner a trifle creased, queen of spades with near contemporary ink deletion of few words, plain versos, each card approximately 89 x 55mm, contained together in 3 ringbinder album leaves with clear pockets, each album leaf 33 x 32cm Hargrave pp.61-62; Hoffmann, p.38; Mann, Collecting Playing Cards p.122; Tilley, pp.73-74; Willshire pp.88-90; Wowk p.64. This set is without queen and six of hearts (coeurs), king of clubs (trèfles), nine and two of diamonds (carreaux). When Monsieur de Brianville originally produced these cards in 1659, they had kings, queens, knaves and aces. Apparently this caused outrage amongst some princes and nobles, who felt that their royal blood had been snubbed. The copper plates were seized by the City Council, who only returned them to de Brianville when he agreed to replace the knaves and aces with princes and chevaliers, as here. The suits are arranged thus: hearts for France, clubs for Italy, spades for Northern Europe, diamonds for Spain.