Catalogue of the Collection of Playing Cards Bequeathed To
CATALOGUE OF THE COLLECTION OF PLAYING CARDS BEQUEATHED TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM ; ^ ^4 f BY THE LATE LADY CHAULOTTE SCHREIBER. COMPILED BY FREEMAN M. O'DONOGHUE, F.S.A., ASSISTANT-KEEPER OF PRINTS AND DRAWINGS. Printed by Order of the Trustees. LONDON: LONGMANS & CO., Pateenosteb Eow; B. QUAEITCH, 15, Piccadilly; ASHEE & CO., 13, Bedford Street, Covent Garden; KEGAN PAUL, TEENCH, TEUBNEE & CO., Paternoster House, Charing Cross Eoad; and HENBY FBOWDE, Oxford University Press, Amen Corner. 1901, : ON !?33 LONDON PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, Limited, STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS. ; PREFACE. The late Lady Charlotte Schreiber formed during her lifetime an extensive collection of the Playing-Cards of various countries, and, dying in 1895, bequeathed the collection to the Trustees of the British Museum. In accordance with the terms of the legacy, all those items were retained which were not strictly duplicates of others already in the Museum, the remainder being returned to the executors. The portion retained constitutes a very important addition to the collection which previously belonged to the department.* The present separate catalogue of the addition to the national collection thus made by Lady C. Schreiber's bequest, has been prepared by Mr. F. M. O'Donoghue, Assistant-Keeper of Prints and Drawings in the Museum, and is published by the Trustees in accordance with an undertaking made on their behalf to the executors of the testatrix when her bequest was accepted. Among the most important items in the collection are, in the Italian section, Mitelli's tarocchino and "II Passa Tempo" packs; Fresehot's cards of Venetian Heraldry, 1707 ; and two interesting Ombre packs, probably executed in Venice, one hand-painted on plates of silver and enclosed in a silver case, the other engraved on brass plates and contained in a case of the same material.
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