A Motley Pack - Transformation Playing Cards
Beautiful & highly creative set of hand illustrated Playing Cards based on a rare and forgotten work from 1875.
This project is based on a rare & almost forgotten work of art & high creativity titled "On the Cards; Or, A Motley Pack" by the Australian writer, dramatist, journalist and publisher Garnet Walch that was published in Melbourne in 1875. Published as a Pantomime in the form of a Christmas Annual, the book consists of 40 transformed playing cards illustrated by Australian poet George Gordon McCrae. Transformation decks (playing cards) which are a unique deck of playing cards where the pips have been incorporated into a larger artistic image. Some have estimated that around 70 different transformation decks were created throughout the entire nineteenth century, which by modern standards is a relatively small number. Transformation playing cards are a true collector's crave and weaving a whole story around those cards in the form of the book takes the creativity & innovation to another level.
A MOTLEY PACK - ROYAL EDITION
Royal Exhibition Building Card Back (hand-drawn and inspired from chromolithographic prints)
A MOTLEY PACK - HERITAGE EDITION
ON THE CARDS - LIMITED EDITION (BOOK)
UNCUT SHEETS
Uncut sheet - Royal Edition
Uncut sheet - Heritage Edition
Bharata Playing Card Deck & Major Arcana Tarot Deck
Based on Indian miniature paintings. Available on guruplayingcards.com
Spade's Family
Heart's Family
Club's Family
Diamond's Family
Spades Family
Tarot Cards
Kalevala Playing Cards
Playing cards based on the Kalevala, the epic poem of Finland & Karelia. Available on guruplayingcards.com
KoS as Väinämöinen, the central character of The Kalevala, is a shamanistic hero with a magical power of song and music similar to that of Orpheus. He is born of Ilmatar and contributes to the creation of Earth as it is today. Väinämöinen created and plays the kantele, a Finnish stringed instrument that resembles and is played like a zither.
QoS as Aino, the beautiful sister of Joukahainen, drowns herself as she didn't want to marry Väinämöinen.
JoS as Joukahainen, an unintelligent young man who arrogantly challenges Väinämöinen to a singing contest which he loses.
KoH as Lemminkäinen, a handsome, arrogant and reckless ladies-man, is the son of Lempi.
QoH as Lemminkainen's Mother who sews together all of the pieces of Lemminkainen's body, and succeeds in remaking his body whole.
JoH as Tiera, who is the friend of Lemminkäinen and accompany him to the battle with the the mistress of Pohjola.
KoC as the King of Karelia, is Marjatta’s wise son who is later condemned to death by Väinämöinen for being born out of wedlock. The boy, in turn, chastises Väinämöinen and is later crowned King of Karelia.
QoC as the Mother of King of Karelia, Marjatta is a holy woman and virgin who gives birth in a stable to a son who becomes the King of Karelia.
JoC as the god of fertility, Sampsa Pellervoinen, who sows all vegetation on earth, all the forests, swamps, meadows, and rock lands too.
KoD as Seppo Ilmarinen, the Eternal Hammerer, blacksmith and inventor in the Kalevala, who creates Sampo and various other magical devices in Kalevala.
QoD as the Maiden of Pohjola is the wife of Ilmarinen and daughter of Louhi, evil sorceress who is the Mistress of Pohjula.
JoD as Kullervo is a misguided, troubled and tragic youth filled with vengence. He is a slave to Ilmarinen, and sent to work for Ilmarinen's wife, the Maiden of Pohjola.
Jokers as Louhi, the sorceress steals the Sampo, provoking Ilmarinen and Väinämöinen to enter her stronghold in secret and retrieve it. Louhi, in reply, pursues them and combats Väinämöinen. In the struggle, Louhi is vanquished but the Sampo is destroyed.
Card back depicting the eagle and an extra 55th card (with character names)
Väinämöisen soitto - Linen Canvas Print
