Scotland

[dazzleguts]

Space
Scottish Historical
First printed 1975


The courts and jokers in this deck are linocut print portraits of historical Scottish figures. The linocut prints were commissioned from Willie Rodger by The Stirling Gallery of Scotland. The cards were conceived by Angus Ogilvy, and first printed, in 1975. Willie Rodger is Scotland’s foremost Linocut printmaker and his work is widely represented in Scottish and British Art Galleries and museums.

This particular deck is a reprint by Neil Macleod Prints & Enterprises Ltd. Unfortunately I don't know the date. The deck includes 2 jokers, a Bridge card and a leaflet with information on the portraits.

The 2 jokers depict John Knox(1505-1572) & Adam Smith (1723-1790).

Spades
King - Macbeth (1034-1058)
Queen - Lady MacBeth (Queen Gruoch)
Jack - Malcolm Canmore (1058-1093)

Hearts
King - James VI (1567-1625)
Queen - Mary, Queen of Scots (1547-1567)
Jack - Prince Charles Edward (1721- 1788)

Diamonds
King - William of Orange (1689-1702)
Queen - Mary, Wife of William of Orange
Jack - Cumberland (1721-1765)

Clubs
King - Alexander II (1249-1285)
Queen - Margaret, Maid of Norway (1283-1290)
Jack - Robert the Bruce

The Nine of Diamonds has an outlined pip since the card was known as the "Curse of Scotland". Many theories exist on why this is so and here are 2 of the most popular:

• In the game of Pope Joan this card is called the Pope, enemy of the Scottish reformers.
• In the game Cornette, introduced into Scotland by Mary of Lorraine (or maybe James, Duke of York), this was the winning card, and this game was the ruin of many players.

The oldest reference to the Nine of Diamonds in this light is in a 1708 book, "The British Apollo, or, Curious amusements for the ingenious". In this book the Curse of Scotland is explained as a reference to royalty through the diamonds they wore, with every 9th King of Scotland being a tyrant.
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[Jock1971]

William Lawson`s advertising deck from the 1980`s

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Although the deck is made by carta mundi of belgium and shows the Belgian-Genoese Pattern, i decided to add to the Scotland thread as the Firm William Lawson is from Scotland and the overall theme of the deck is Scottish

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Thanks for looking at my cards -jase-

[Jock1971]

Scottish Legends designed by Mark Oxbrow and printed by R. Somerville Playing Cards of Edinburgh,Scotland in 1998.

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Each Ace reflect native art through the ages with Pictish and Celtic knotworks and spiral designs. The Jokers are Mr George Buchanan the fool of James IV &I of whom the travellers tell a thousand tales.
The Jack of spades is "Red Cap" an evil border goblin who throws boulders at wayfarers then dips his hat in their blood.
The Queen of spades shows "Washer by the ford" a tragic and terrifying spirit, she lurks in rivers, washing the clothes of those about to die.
The King of spades "The Linton Worm" a monstrous dragon creature that terrorised the border towns till its demise.

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The Jack of hearts "Shellycoat" are mischievous water spirits who entice unwary travellers up to the sources of rivers.
The Queen of hearts is "Mairi Ruadh". Mairi of the red hair is half fairy and half human who was blessed with magical powers.
the King of hearts shows "Gawain". The Arthurian knight who met the green knight is Gawain of Orkney and the Lothians.
The Jack of clubs "Whuppity Stoorie" the Scottish version of Rumpelstiltskin, a wild and wicked fairy in a tall felt hat.
the Queen of clubs show "Cailleach Bheur" or Old woman, a native godess, Queen of winter who brings the snow and ice to the highlands.
and the king of clubs depict "Michael Scott the Wizard" The feared and powerful sorceror who split the Eildon Hill in three.

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The Jack of diamonds show a "Brownie" a benevolent little fairy who does household or farmyard chores for bannocks and cream.
The Queen of diamonds is the "Queen of Elfland" the fairy who takes Thomas the Rhymer to the Otherworld and rules the Seelie court of the summer half of the year.
The king of diamonds show "Thomas the Rhymer" the poet and dreamer who was given thegift of prophecy by the Queen of Elfland.

Thanks for looking at my cards-jase-

[dazzleguts]

Wish I could have seen that "amazing shop" Somerville had in Edinburgh, before moving to France.
I wonder if that's the same shop space that was being contested in this 1893 court case? If it's on Leith Street it could be the same one.
https://books.google.ca/books?id=HJkuAA ... op&f=false

Interesting cards Jase. The large indices make these look like a patience or mini deck.
The Jacks are bizarre. I like the Jack of Spades "Red Cap" with his macabre Fly Agaric mushroom hat. In Canada Brownies (Jack of Diamonds) are the local version of Girl Guides.

[Jock1971]

The address on the tuck box is - 82 Canongate, the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, EH8 8BZ, Scotland.
Not sure if it`s the same R. Somerville as the one in the article, who knows could be his relatives continuing his business in different premises.

The large indices make these look like a patience or mini deck.

I didn`t actually think about that until you said. the cards are bridge size, which actually helps make the cards look smaller with those big indices.
Yes we got the Brownies over here too . they begin as Brownies then after 2 or 3 years become Girl Guides.
My Grandmother used to blame the Brownies (pronounced more like "Bru-nees" as in iron "bru") for everything that went wrong in the house, like a light bulb blowing out..."It`s them pesky brunees" or if she couldn`t find her keys it was "where`d them brunees put ma bloody keys"