It's a deal!
Single playing card from the 17th century sells for £250. Tony Henderson reports.
Brisk bidding was on the cards when a 17th century slice of history came up for auction on Tyneside.
The rare and historically significant Robert Morden miniature map six of clubs playing card, dating to about 1676, was on offer by Anderson & Garland in Newcastle.
The single card, which shows a map of Northumberland, sold for £250 - twice its highest estimate.
Robert Morden’s work represents one of the earliest examples of cartographic playing cards, which are regarded as the first pocket atlas of the 52 counties of England and Wales.
It is believed that only one complete set remains in existence, making individual cards highly sought after by collectors. An incomplete set recently sold for £11,000.
The complete sets consisted of 52 spot cards, an explanation card and a title card featuring a map of England and Wales divided into counties. Each card features a detailed county map including principal settlements, rivers and roads.
These maps were among the first to display roads.
The suits represent different regions of England. Clubs represent the 13 northern counties, spades the western counties, hearts the eastern counties and diamonds the southern counties.
Each card also displays county dimensions, distances from London and latitude details.
“This card is a remarkable piece of history, offering a glimpse into 17th century cartography and playing card design,” said an auction house spokesman.
Robert Morden (1650–1703) was an English bookseller, publisher, and mapmaker, globemaker and engraver, and was among the first successful commercial map makers.
The Northumberland card features places – using 17th century spelling – which includes the River Coket; Wark; Belford; Felton; Alnewick; Morpeth; Stanington; Heddon, Hexam and Tinmouth.
Morden’s English Counties map was reissued in 1722, 1753 and 1772, based on “new information from gentlemen of each county”, with place-name spellings adjusted where they “did not answer either the way of writing or the common way of pronouncing among the People”.
His map of County Durham includes areas near Newcastle - described as being 270 miles from London - such as Newburne, Benwell, Biker, North and South Sheales, Fellin, Hebborn, Whickham, Monk Wermouth, Chopwell, Standley and Lanchester.