How were cards made?

[blashamma]

I made a post about this in the Tarot Deck Creation area, but a friend suggested I try here. I'm just going to copy and paste the post if that's okay.

Okay, I was thinking, tarot goes back quite a ways right? Now, many people who make tarot use computers and laminating machines and all kinds of fancy stuff. Well, I'm no history expert, but I do have this odd feeling that they didn't have computers and laminating machines in the Renaissance or Dark Ages!
Does anyone know what kind of tools and stuff people back then used? I figure that cards were either done with wood blocks, or hand painted. I am familiar with paints of the time and wood block making.
What I'd like to know is what did they do the cards on? There are types of papers I know that were made at the time, and I doubt any of them are suitable for cards. Also, how were the cards protected? Some of the resins and things that I know were used for paintings and such wouldn't work very well on cards, and the paints theyv used would quickly wear off if not protected. Does anyone know?
The reason I'm asking is because one, I'm more of a traditionalist when it comes to the creation process of art (despite my style), and two, it'd be interesting to do a traditional style deck using techniques and things that were used to make decks long ago.

 

[Cerulean]

Circa 1760

1. House of Camoin woodblocks
http://www.camoin.com/en/conver/moules/moules_bois.asp

2. Wrapper of an older deck:

http://www.tarot-history.com/History/index.html

Follow the Jacques Vieville links as it will show reproduction notes.

3. For some specifics from a modern playing card maker of hand-produced decks,
Mount Hood Playing cards does mention details such as square cut corners, not using kings or queens for French cards during the Revolution, etc...

But I don't know if the papers are really researched as well on playing cards or tarot sites. I haven't researched cardmakers going backwards.

How far back are you looking for? Il Meneghello's reproductions on a beautiful linen stock is very nice--but are you looking for any specific European country reproduction?

Regards,

Cerulean

 

[blashamma]

I wasn't looking for any specific time period or anything. I was just wondering what the cards were made of before people could go to the Walmart and buy reems of cardsstock, and what they used to protect the cards before lamination machines were made.

I've never heard of linen-stock... well, until people began commenting to my posts. i'll have to do research to find out more about it.

One site of yours mentioned cardboard. How is cardboard made, and how was it made back then?

 

[Cerulean]

General card background--and link #2 specifically might assist

I think the second link will address your question in a technical way. The quick timeline reference is to hopefully be helpful for the context of paper/card history.

1. General timeline:

http://www.wopc.co.uk/history/earlyrefs.html

950: So the first importation of paper in Europe from China

It was not until two centuries later that any European manufactory was established, the first known being at Xativa, near Valencia. France followed suit before the end of the XII c., and Italy, which founded its earliest factory at Fabriano about 1276, remained the most important source of supply in Europe throughout the XIV c. Manufacture was introduced into Germany in the last decade of the XIV c., in England at the end of the XV c., but in the Netherlands apparently not before the XVI c. During the XV c. Germany as well as France gradually became self-supporting in paper; South Austria would turn more to Italy for supplies; England to France and Italy by sea, and the Netherlands chiefly from France and Germany. It seems unlikely that any large supplies of paper were available before the latter part of the XIV c., and this was probably an important factor in determining the period at which the printing of pictures was introduced.

1390 - Paper Mill in Germany, Nuremburg

1390 GERMANY In this year the first paper mill was established near the Nuremberg.

1427

In 1427 there were two master card-makers in Tournai, Michael Noel and Philippe du Bos. They formed a guild and each registered his chosen mark: one was a rose, the other a wild boar. Each master card-maker had as his helpers those who prepared the colours, les broyeurs; those who applied the colours, les bruneteurs; and those who prepared the paper, les carteurs. Their duties were clearly defined by the rules of the guild, which also stipulated which colours were to be used. The register contains the names of many women who worked at the making of cards.

2. Up through 1800s - it shows standard paper with paste application and stencil/woodcut production in an English setting:

http://www.historicgames.com/gamemakers/cardmaking.html

3. I have one circa 1860-1880 cardboard style sample of a deck for an Etteillla Lismon from Paris. Rather smooth, matte finish.

4. I have one 1940's tougher weave Italian deck, a nicotene-smudged-stained Viassone and the linen stock seems the same as my modern, Il Meneghello-produced decks. The fine cotton rag art papers available for painting seem similar.

So it seems pasteboard reproductions are older and the historic reproduction on a linen-weave stock is circa 20th century.

(placeholder for finding link to historic French, Italian or European paper with linen from 1800s-21st century)

5. This is related in terms of mixed weave paper of the modern day.

http://www.victoriapaper.com/pages/927989/page927989.html?refresh=1116871671226

Sorry if this is a roundabout answer, hopefully this answers your artistic materials questions or helps lead you to more definite answers.

Best regards,

Cerulean

 

[Ankou]

Cerulean, you really know your paper don't you!!!

So any idea how long people have been using a basic wood block to print?

The most I know is Guetenburg and his marvelous machine...

Love and light,

Ankou

 

[Cerulean]

Oh dear, you did have to ask about a favorite subject...perhaps 868 in China...

http://www.artelino.com/articles/chinese-woodblock-prints.asp

Like paper, also the woodblock printing technique was developped in China. The oldest book made of woodblocks known so far, is the Diamond Sutra from Dunhuang - dated to 868. This book is of such high technical standard, that a much earlier use of Chinese woodblock prints can be assumed.

In 770 the first textual print in Japan had been produced - the dharani. It had obviously been strongly influenced by China. These were Buddhist prayers that had been commissioned in an edition of one million copies by Empress Shotoku. But it is not known if the blocks for these prints had been made of wood or of other materials.

The first woodblock prints were of religious kind....

sigh....if I believed in former lives, I was probably addicted to ink-and-paper...

Cerulean

 

[Ankou]

While we're on a role...

How many different marsupials are out there?
(just curious)

No really, so Inks, paints? types and colors?

Are we talking a tempra type paint or hand mixed inks on early printed decks?

Love and Light,

Ankou

(Blashama is out for vacation so I'm trying to flush out his thread while he's gone ) (need to learn new smilies...)

 

[Cerulean]

I'll enjoy what answers others find to your media questions

...and whatever else people decide to contribute. I am curious what other people know and can find for me to learn, as well.

I marked this thread and hope to return to reading what you share!

Best regards

Cerulean

 

[Ankou]

I've started soliciting others by pm who might be able to share some insight. I'm not a terribly patient girl!

Cerulean, you are wonderful! Thanks so much for all the links and info so far!
I'll try to do some research on my own to pitch in. I also hope to get some others in to see what you've posted and get some good discution going.

Thanks again hon,

Ankou

 

[baba-prague]

Well, as a solicited one I wish I could add more but not sure I can. We do know a fair amount about contemporary woodblock printing - one of the last really great European woodblock artists works here and we have been to his studio many times. The wood used is still usually pear wood - it has a very close grain so allows for fine work. But of course modern inks are quite different - as are modern papers.

So - apart from again pointing out that it might be worth looking at the Fournier Marseille reproduction - which is done with traditional stencils (when you look at th cards under a magnifying glass you can really see the difference between this old technique and modern offset) I'm not sure what more help I can give.

I hope others here may be able to add more on historical inks and papers but it seems to me that Cerulean has already done a splendid job of answering this thread.