Hodges Playing Cards

Star Lore Art Astrophilogeon Hodges' Constellation Cards 1828

Hodges Playing Cards

Mythology is a popular theme in the design of playing cards. Perhaps the most popular set of astronomical playing cards was designed by Charles Hodges in 1828 (some sources say 1627). The cars, published by Stopforth & Sons were the last engraved and hand-colored cards of high quality in England. Many of the images are very similar to those of Uranographia (1801) and Urania's Mirror (1824). While the images are not novelties, Hodges made tham available to a much larger audience by putting them on playing cards. It speaks for the popularity of Hodges' design that the cards are still printed and sold today - almost 200 years after their first publication. Officially, the set is called Astrophilogeon. Some internet sources, focusing solely on the Zodiac constellations, call them "Astrology Cards, which in my opinion is not only misleading but diminishes the value of popular science brought to a large audience by means of a game. The images below are from several sets of the same basic design found on a number of different online sources. Clicking on the pictures leads to a larger image (in most cases just slightly larger and part of a compilation image).

Hodges Playing Cards

Spring Potter Auctions

Summer Potter Auctions

Autumn Potter Auctions

Winter Bidsquare

Andromeda World of Playing Cards

Antinous Wiener Spielkartenfabrik

Aquarius World of Playing Cards

Aquila World of Playing Cards

Argo Navis World of Playing Cards

Aries World of Playing Cards

Auriga World of Playing Cards

Boötes & Canes Venatici World of Playing Cards

Camelopardalis Wiener Spielkartenfabrik

Cancer World of Playing Cards

Canis Major Wiener Spielkartenfabrik

Capricornus World of Playing Cards

Cassiopeia World of Playing Cards

Centaurus World of Playing Cards

Cepheus World of Playing Cards

Cetus World of Playing Cards

Cydnus World of Playing Cards

Gemini World of Playing Cards

Hercules World of Playing Cards

Indus Wiener Spielkartenfabrik

Leo World of Playing Cards

Lepus Wiener Spielkartenfabrik

Libra World of Playing Cards

Lynx Wiener Spielkartenfabrik

Lyra World of Playing Cards

Monoceros & Canis Minor World of Playing Cards

Orion World of Playing Cards

Pegasus World of Playing Cards

Perseus World of Playing Cards

Pisces World of Playing Cards

Sagittarius World of Playing Cards

Scorpius World of Playing Cards

Taurus World of Playing Cards

Ursa Major World of Playing Cards

Virgo World of Playing Cards

Vulpecula & Anser Wiener Spielkartenfabrik

Mercury Wiener Spielkartenfabrik

Venus Wiener Spielkartenfabrik

Mars Wiener Spielkartenfabrik

Jupiter Wiener Spielkartenfabrik

Saturn Wiener Spielkartenfabrik

Neptune Wiener Spielkartenfabrik

The first set of Hodges' cards - including the cards showcasing the planets - was published in 1828 - eighteen years before the planet Neptune was discovered (1846). Chances are, Neptune's card was added to the set later. The original set of 1828 was published along with a set of map cards. The objective of the game was to obtain pairs of map and constellation cards from similar parts of the terrestrial and celestial globes. Card values for games like Bridge or Rummy were added later. Below is an example of beautifully hand-colored early constellation and map cards. Source: World of Playing Cards

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