Playing Card Deck

29-238-20

From: China | Longzhou

Curatorial Section: Asian

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Object Number 29-238-20
Current Location Collections Storage
Culture Chinese
Provenience China | Longzhou
Period 19th Century
Date Made 1889 - 1893
Section Asian
Materials Paper | Ink
Technique Printed
Iconography Chess
Inscription Language Chinese Language
Description

70 rectangular playing cards based on Chinese Chess (象棋 xiangqi). Backs black. Faces printed in black or red. A Chinese character within a circle is repeated on each end with a either diamond shapes, Chinese characters or a human figure at center.

From Culin publication: "No. 20. - From Swatow. Four each of the Tseung, Sz', Tseung, Ku, Ma, P'au in red, the same number in black, and ten each of the red and of black pawns, one black and one red kam, "gold" or joker. Total, 70. The pack comes from Lung-chou, near Hui-chou, some fifty miles from Swatow."

Length 6.9 cm
Width 1.8 cm
Credit Line Purchased from William Henry Wilkinson, 1903
Other Number Wilkinson 20 - Collector Number | 29-191-242.5 - Old Museum Number

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