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  home   >   collection   >   Whist pack with secondary usage (2)

This pack was produced around 1770 by an unknown maker in Montpellier. You can read that town's name on the Jack of Clubs. The maker's name was presumably in the bottom right corner of the King of Diamonds, it has been erased. This may well have been 'Lionet', as very similar cards are known from him.

The cards show the standard Provence pattern. The special feature are the backs: they were originally blank, but were later stencilled with words, parts of words, or punctuation marks. Often there is additionally the corresponding part of speech in handwriting, e.g. 'adj. m.' for 'léger', that is 'easy' or 'light - masculine adjective'. These cards are called 'with secondary usage', they were used in a 'bureau typographique' (typographical desk).

A similar secondary use pack with the Paris pattern is also in my collection.