Civil War
1862 UNION CIVIL WAR PLAYING CARDS Display
UNION CIVIL WAR PLAYING CARDS, produced by the American Card Co., New York, 1862, Custom Shadowbox Displayed for wall mounting, Benjamin W. Hitchcock, Choice Very Fine.
Original deck 52 Playing Cards, each 3 " h x 2 " w, (HOC-W5). Carefully mounted in a 2" deep silver painted wooden display shadowbox with some slight scuffs, measuring about 21.25" x 21.25" (cards not removed from display). This historic Civil War patriotic Deck of Cards consists of special suits being represented by Flags, Stars, Heraldic Shields, and American Eagles. The court cards are one-way with Kings being Colonels, Queens are "Lady Liberty" a.k.a. "The Goddess of Liberty" holding a Pole with Liberty Cap, and Jacks are Majors. The suits are red and blue in color. The backs contain an image of four American flags, a shield, an anchor, and grapevine with a star bearing the letters "US". The balance of the deck are housed together in their original inner sleeve, within the bottom half of original outer box, which bears a Blue George Washington portrait Proprietary Revenue Tax Stamp, stamp dated "1863". Top cover of the box is lacking, light soiling and toning and some wear from use. Moderate to heavy wear to partial original box. Two engraved display brass plates at bottom center read: "Playing Cards of the Civil War" and "Donated By Ambassador Middendorf". A scarce and extremely popular deck which is always in great demand and ready to hang on display.
Provenance: Collection of Ambassador J. William Middendorf II.
"THE AMERICAN CARD CO. Confident that the introduction of NATIONAL EMBLEMS in place of Foreign, in PLAYING CARDS, will be hailed with delight by the American People, take pleasure in presenting the UNION PLAYING CARDS. As the first and only Genuine American Cards ever produced, in the fullest confidence that the time is not far distant when they will be the leading Card in the American market....
The Union Cards are calculated to play all the Games for which the old style of Playing Cards are used. The suits are EAGLES, SHIELDS, STARS, and FLAGS, GODDESS OF LIBERTY in place of Queen, COLONEL for King, MAJOR for Jack. In playing with these Cards, they are to be called by the names the emblems represent, and as the Emblems are as familiar as household words, everywhere among the American people, they can be used as readily the first occasion as Cards bearing Foreign emblems."
Benjamin Hitchcock was owner of a music and publishing business at 14 Chambers St., Manhattan. The business consisted of sheet music, books, musical instruments, printing presses and type, etc. American Card Company had offices at both this address and 165 William St.
Mounting: The cards have been mounted using mylar corners and so are easily removable. The background is 100% cotton twill, black in color. The black fabric has been washed to reduce excess dye. An acid-free agent was added to the wash to further set the dye and the fabric was heat-treated for the same purpose. The glazing is U.V. protective plexiglass.
See: Dawson & Dawson, Hochman Encyclopedia of American Playing Cards, #W5 (p. 218). Willshire, Descriptive Catalogue of Playing and Other Cards in the British Museum, V. 247 (p. 324). OCLC 48614552 (Indiana University), 612252970 (Harvard), 905078119 (American Antiquarian, lacking the box), 847576058 (Bibliotheque Nationale) and 962996048 (Bibliotheque Nationale). Note that some of these are listed with the incorrect title Union Playing Cards.