James Edward Whitney collection of playing cards
Overview
Collection of packs of playing cards, dating from the early 16th to the early 20th century, from around the world.
Dates
- Creation: 1500-1920
Conditions Governing Access
There are no restrictions on physical access to this material. Collection is open for research.
Extent
16 linear feet (15 boxes)Collection of packs of playing cards, both manuscript and printed, from early 16th century to early 20th century. Most packs incomplete. Includes cards from Austria, China, England, France, Germany, Hindustan, Hopi Tribe, Japan, Korea, Spain, Sweden, United States, and others.
Physical Location
b
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of James Edward Whitney, (H.C. '89), Newburyport, Mass.; received 1925 December 11. Recataloged from: SG 3102.1* - SG 3102.100*. Collection was transferred from Widener Library to Houghton with items missing and/or incomplete. Missing items are noted in finding aid. Some items were added by different donors after the finding aid was compiled by James Whitney (see items 100-112).
Bibliography
- CHATTO. Facts andSpeculations on the Origin and History of Playing Cards. By William Andrew Chatto. London: JohnRussell Smith, 1848.
- CULIN. Korean Games, with notes on the corresponding Games of China andJapan. Philadelphia; University of Pennsylvania, 1895. By Stewart Culin. The Gambling Games of theChinese in America. By Stewart Culin. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania, 1891.
- MERLIN. Origine des Cartes a Jouer. Recherches nouvelles sur les naibis,les tarots, at sur les autres especes de cartes. Par R. Merlin. Paris, 1869.
- O'DONOGHUE. Catalogue of the Collection of Playing Cards bequeathed tothe Trustees of the British Museum by Lady Charlotte Schreiber. By Freeman Marius O'Donoghue.London: Published by order of the Trustees of the British Museum, 1901.
- SINGER. Researches into the History of Playing Cards, etc. By SamuelWeller Singer. London: R. Triphook, 1816.
- TAYLOR. The History of Playing Cards, etc. By Rev. Edward S. Taylor.London: J. C. Hotten, 1865.
- WILKINSON. The Chinese Origin of Playing Cards. By William HenryWilkinson. In The American Anthropologist for January, 1895.
- WILLSHIRE. A Descriptive Catalogue of Playing and other Cards in theBritish Museum etc. By W. Hughes Willshire, M. D. London, Published by order of the Trustees of theMuseum, 1876-1877.
Processing Information
Processed by donor: James Edward Whitney, Jr.
INDEX:
- American: Nos. 1-2-5-12-17-18-24-29-35-36-37-38-39-40-56-65-73-80-
- Fanciful: Nos. 46-61-68-80-
- Chinese: Nos. 26-27-28-67-
- English: Nos. 3-8-9-25-66-82-83-84-92-
- Flemish: Nos. 88-
- French: Nos. 4-15-31-33-97
- Tarots: Nos. 52-
- Fanciful: Nos. 41-72-
- German & Austrian: Nos. 10-11-13-14-19-69-76-85-94-95-96-98-99-
- Tarots: Nos. 54-55-70-89-90-91-
- Fanciful: Nos. 30-75-86-
- Hindustani: Nos. 42-43-79-
- Italian: Nos. 7-47-48-63-74-
- Tarots: Nos. 23-71-77-78-
- Minchiate: Nos. 49-50-51-
- Cucco: Nos. 21-
- Japanese: Nos. 32-44-45-58-59-60-
- "Khanhoo Cards: No. 62
- Korean: No. 81-
- Spanish: Nos. 6-16-53-57-64-
- Swiss: Nos. 87-93-
- Swedish: No. 20
- Cambio No. 22
- Title
- Whitney, James Edward, collector. James Edward Whitney collection of playing cards, ca. 1500-1920: Guide.
- Author
- Houghton Library, Harvard College Library
- Language of description
- und
- EAD ID
- hou01454
Repository Details
Part of the Houghton Library Repository
Houghton Library is Harvard College's principal repository for rare books and manuscripts, archives, and more. Houghton Library's collections represent the scope of human experience from ancient Egypt to twenty-first century Cambridge. With strengths primarily in North American and European history, literature, and culture, collections range in media from printed books and handwritten manuscripts to maps, drawings and paintings, prints, posters, photographs, film and audio recordings, and digital media, as well as costumes, theater props, and a wide range of other objects. Houghton Library has historically focused on collecting the written record of European and Eurocentric North American culture, yet it holds a large and diverse number of primary sources valuable for research on the languages, culture and history of indigenous peoples of the Americas, Africa, Asia and Oceania.
Houghton Library’s Reading Room is free and open to all who wish to use the library’s collections.
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