Is the Portuguese Pattern Extinct?

kwaw

Florence Minchiate and Portuguese Pattern

The similarities with the pips and courts of the Minchiate are basically the trellis crossing pattern of the straight swords that is 'almost entirely restricted to these card patterns of Florence and Portugal'; and the female pages in the two short or round suits (cups and money) of the Minchiate.

Kwaw
 

Cerulean

Roseanne, unfortunately Mt. Hood seems to have gone...

...and they were the sellers of a limited edition, handmade Tensho Karuta--when I posted the link originally as of 3/12/2006, Mt. Hood Playing Cards of Oregon was still selling replicas--but there is no new website or any mention of where they have gone.

Here's a better picture:

http://www.wopc.co.uk/mounthood/tensho.html

I bought one set, which is shown on Andy's Playing cards site and I think, some of the cards were on a UK collectors site at least awhile back.

World of Playing cards link to Japan patterns including Tensho:

http://www.wopc.co.uk/japan/index.html

World of Playing cards overall link to Portugese patterns:

http://www.wopc.co.uk/portugal/index.html

Japan Times noting 2001 edition of Tensho

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20010124c3.html

My Tensho Karuta from Mt. Hood was under or around twenty dollars, if I recall right.

One additional feature of the Tensho Karuta is mentioned in the updated summary of the Japanese museum:

KARUTA FORM THE TENSHO PERIOD RESTORED

 Tensho Karuta-the oldest playing cards in Japan-were restored from an old printing block box stored in Kobe City Museum, in 1991. There are a total of 48 cards including 3 picture cards and 9 number cards. It's distinguishing features are that there is a dragon painted on the No. 1 card and the heart on the 2nd of Hearts is upside down.

http://www.city.omuta.fukuoka.jp/chiiki/event/kouryu/b1_422521fb_1398.html

For line drawings of some Tensho Karuta cards, a sample in the pdf document
if you scroll down...I believe it includes some dragon aces and the document is in English - page 14:

https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/dspace/bitstream/1887/8826/1/5_1234891_044.pdf -

If someone does find the Mt. Hood Playing cards business, please post!

Cerulean
 

Rosanne

Thanks very much Cerulean. I guess my Japenese friends might have some trouble getting the Unsun Karuta- I hope not. The Tensho looks a lost cause at this stage. I really have enjoyed the search though. I like that the tradition has stayed even in transformed way. I find this exciting. ~Rosanne
 

Elven

Hi Rosanne, Hi everyone :D

On my search for sometime to create a deck in woodcut format - I came across Woodblock Printmaker David Bull - master craftsman.
Davids work is predominatley related to Japanees woodblock printing, and if you scroll through his website, you will see the body of his work, and resourses which may come in handy.
He also does reproduction commissioned works.
If you scroll to the bottom of the page - you will also find the 'Handbook of Japanese Printmaking Technique' ... and further along the terminologies and links to other sites.

You can contact David by using his email contact link at the bottom of the page. he maybe able to help you in your search for cards and reproductions, and know where further information for your requests are available.

Hope this helps
http://www.woodblock.com/index.html


Blessings Elven x
 

Rosanne

That would be great roppo! Thanks very much. Lets hope that if it is, it is not going to cost a Roy's Ransom. ~Rosanne
 

Cerulean

Yes, Roppo, it would be wonderful...and on David Bull

...and Elven, thanks. I did link to David Bull's work when I was making my 100 Poets tribute book of collected links and resources in the "Tarot Deck Creation" forum.

I always thought his prints were too beautiful for mere card decks, but I'll keep checking his site for art cards...

His carvings of the Hyakunin Isshu (100 Poets series) are "Ichi-ban" or number one in my book, second to none. Each print in the series is very fairly priced, but it is a far cry from my twenty-to-twenty-five dollar purchases of karuta cards.

Because Nintendo and other karuta makers come up with novelties all the time, I'll keep my eyes open as well. Since there are so many anime karutas out there, once in awhile we might also find a historic treasure...maybe some of the museums doing Japanese exhibits might find it a pleasureable novelty at a notable anniversary....

Cerulean
 

kenji

Tensho karuta has been one of my "dream decks" for years.

Moongold said:
Ah..... Here it is ...... :)

It was Miike Museum that commissioned Mr Shigeo Matsui (the only existent craftsman in Japan who can make traditional handcrafted karuta by himself) to make this replica.

Unfortunately the reproduction decks were not for sale:(

By the way, karuta (such as Hana-fuda, Dosai, etc) made by Mr Matsui of MATSUI TENGUDO are real works of art. Seeing them in person, you will be fascinated by their beauty;)

Cerulean said:
...and they were the sellers of a limited edition, handmade Tensho Karuta--when I posted the link originally as of 3/12/2006, Mt. Hood Playing Cards of Oregon was still selling replicas--but there is no new website or any mention of where they have gone.

Here's a better picture:

http://www.wopc.co.uk/mounthood/tensho.html

I too used to have a Mount Hood replica, but I can hardly recommend this deck. It is modeled on the Miike reproduction, but it seems the picture used as the model was in pretty low resolution, and the outcome is quite inaccurate. Besides, the quality of printing and material is so poor -- far from that of Japanese karuta made by traditional procedure.

roppo said:
It seemed in 2000 a Japanese woodcut artist Kozaki Kan made a set of Tensho restored.

http://www.bunmeido.ne.jp/art/kosaki_f.html

I'll research whether the set is available or not.

A few years ago I asked Mr Kosaki himself about this deck.
At that time there was only one deck left, and the price was ---
I don't remember accurately -- around US$1,000 - 2,000. Alas.
 

roppo

A report on Kosaki's Tensho

It seems Kosaki's Tensho was a commissioned work for the quarterly art magazine "Ginka" no.124 (Winter 2000).
I ordered a copy from a second-hand bookshop (price 850yen, about 7 USD). It arrived today and I found uncut sheet version of his Tensho as a supplement.
The quality of paper is not bad, and considering the price it's a good bargain. There is very interesting article "Making of the Tensho", too.
 

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Cerulean

Thank you and my Unsun arrived...

Ah Roppo, there's hope!

But alas, right now Ginka back issues do not seem available to me in the U.S., even searching my Japanese resources (www.kinokuniya.com)...still, I've been cheered by my small package of Unsun Karuta from the Screenfold Press and the
booklet.

I think I may be too easily pleased by the novelty of it--the cards seem straight and cut well to me, thin cardboard tiles, has a matte and handmade feel. The booklet is done by a small press with old typeset and has a pretty cover and rules of the game... Maybe its quaint and naive style reminds me very much of an interesting Basque Country Tarot (Fournier) and Latin-suited decks that cheer me. Their faces are funny and different, like mingei-style art.

I would not say that it is finely gold and glossy and pretty as the wopc golden cards. I'll post a link that shows what the set looks like in total until I manage to photograph and upload some samples:

Unsun Karuta
Scroll down to the second set--it is the one all the cards laid out with purple backgrounds for the people cards and white backgrounds for the straight pips. The first deck in the wooden box is the luxery deck from Japan. Mine is the second reproduction deck with booklet for $25:



http://www.pingmag.jp/2007/01/09/karuta-japanese-card-games/

I'll use this as a placeholder in case I run across anything interesting or for posting my pictures.

Thanks for all the reports...the magazine deck looks great. Unfortunately the Japanese shop never replied to my email query for the luxery set, so I'll have to try again sometime soon...it looks like it's more finely done...

But I do cherish what I just got and hope that others will not be disappointed
when sets from the Screenfold Press arrives at their door!

Cerulean
 

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