gejus-07-03

The unprinted backs of playing cards were ideal for short notes such as personal invitations. I selected a few nice examples from my collection.

Invitation by a father, French, 18th century.
Father Pibrac requests the honour of Mr Albert’s presence tomorrow, Thursday the 10th, at dinner. Playing card maker unknown, France.

Judging from the number of invitations that were found, this priest apparently dined with many people, both at his own home and at other locations. In those days, the clergy served an important function in social life. Because they knew so many people, including those in the higher official circles, they were glad to put in a good word for someone in exchange for a considerable contribution to the coffers of the Church. This lobbying often occurred during a dinner.

Playing card maker unknown, France.	Musical invitation, French, 18th century.
	Dear Sir, I kindly request you to come to my home tomorrow after [dinner] to give a small concert for which I have again invited other amateur musicians. I am very much counting on your acceptance of this invitation. Your most affectionate and obedient servant, Izac Kelberg

Invitation for an evening of cards, Danish, around 1880.

Playing card maker: S. Salomon & Co., Holmblads Spillekort Forretning, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Pre-printed invitation to come and play a card game known as l’Hombre. Only the name, date and year had to be filled in with pen. The group came together to play in Copenhagen, Denmark. I presume there were too many invitations printed since I have a few myself and I know of copies in several other collections.

My dear friend, today you may have the good fortune to meet your lovely lady friends. After having served old wigs with the coffee, they will not be adverse to less serious faces. I shall await you there. Where is that, you may be wondering. It is where charming ladies live, who not only associate heartiness and wit, but also an easy and agreeable intercourse with the most scrupulous decency; I will say no more. You will guess or you do not deserve to know their names. There are not that many of them.
Yours affectionately V. de Saussure.

Gallant invitation, French, 18th century.

Playing card maker unknown, France.

Invitation to a mass for the salvation of the soul, Belgian, 1789.

Playing card maker unknown, printed by Pauwels, Brussels, Belgium.

Dear Sir or Madam: You are hereby invited to attend the solemn mass in the Parish Church of St. Catherine this Wednesday, 23 December 1789 at exactly 11:00 a.m. to pray for the salvation of the late M. Guilliaume Lamal, our esteemed patriot.

This card dates from the time of the French Revolution. M. Lamal is praised as a patriot, a supporter of this revolution. By 1787, Pauwels referred to itself in the even more fashionable way as Printer to His Majesty on the Large Marketplace in Brussels.