Ludophone
Pre-Topkapi cards
De Unger's fragment is the most well known of the pre-Topkapi cards but there are others that as far as I can tell have never been shown. During the 70s, Richard Ettinghausen and Michael Dummett identified some other cards that are extremely old. Dummett lists them in page 41 of Game of Tarot (1980). The first four are in de Unger's Keir collection.
1) Half of 4 of cups or a quarter of the 8 of cups. Ettinghausen gives it a broad estimate from the 1100s to the early Mamluks (mid-1200s). This is the one in Huck's post.
2) Ace of cups? Same dating as above. Published in Basil William Robinson's "Islamic Painting and the Arts of the Book" (1973). I can't find any image of it on the web.
3) Two of swords? Described in Robinson's book. No picture available.
4) Four of coins? Described in Robinson's book. No picture available.
5) Five or six of coins. Dummett identified it in the Benaki Museum in Athens. It was published in the "Art and Archaeology Research Papers" no. 4, Dec 1973. I can't find any picture of this on the web.
Silvia Mann said the dating of these cards are not unopposed. The Mamluks are also known to have imported Italian cards before they were conquered by the Ottomans in 1517.
Finally there are also the "Moorish" card sheets found by Simon Wintle in 1987. Made around 1400, they were likely produced by Christian Spaniards in imitation of Muslim cards. Only the pips survive but we know that this set contains 10s which are usually absent from Spanish decks. http://www.wopc.co.uk/spain/moorish/index
In regards to the Chinese Turfan card, I am very doubtful of its c. 1400 dating. Caldwell's blog explains it best: http://ludustriumphorum.blogspot.com/2009/03/update-on-turfan-card.html
It would be nice if someone can snap a few pictures of these cards.
De Unger's fragment is the most well known of the pre-Topkapi cards but there are others that as far as I can tell have never been shown. During the 70s, Richard Ettinghausen and Michael Dummett identified some other cards that are extremely old. Dummett lists them in page 41 of Game of Tarot (1980). The first four are in de Unger's Keir collection.
1) Half of 4 of cups or a quarter of the 8 of cups. Ettinghausen gives it a broad estimate from the 1100s to the early Mamluks (mid-1200s). This is the one in Huck's post.
2) Ace of cups? Same dating as above. Published in Basil William Robinson's "Islamic Painting and the Arts of the Book" (1973). I can't find any image of it on the web.
3) Two of swords? Described in Robinson's book. No picture available.
4) Four of coins? Described in Robinson's book. No picture available.
5) Five or six of coins. Dummett identified it in the Benaki Museum in Athens. It was published in the "Art and Archaeology Research Papers" no. 4, Dec 1973. I can't find any picture of this on the web.
Silvia Mann said the dating of these cards are not unopposed. The Mamluks are also known to have imported Italian cards before they were conquered by the Ottomans in 1517.
Finally there are also the "Moorish" card sheets found by Simon Wintle in 1987. Made around 1400, they were likely produced by Christian Spaniards in imitation of Muslim cards. Only the pips survive but we know that this set contains 10s which are usually absent from Spanish decks. http://www.wopc.co.uk/spain/moorish/index
In regards to the Chinese Turfan card, I am very doubtful of its c. 1400 dating. Caldwell's blog explains it best: http://ludustriumphorum.blogspot.com/2009/03/update-on-turfan-card.html
It would be nice if someone can snap a few pictures of these cards.