There are many different types of equipment related to playing cards - equpment ranging from furniture on which card games are played to instructional devices which teach one to play certain card games. The Museum has many different objects in its collection related to playing cards. This page illustrates a type of equipment for playing a card game without the use of playing cards - the game of Poker.
The game of Poker is an international game, and the photograph on the left is of a set of European Poker Dice.
Donated to the Museum in 1975, these dice use the French national symbol set, and are in three colors. The symbols found on faces of the dice include a black ace of clubs, a red ten of diamonds, a black nine of spaces, a red king (Roi), a blue jack (Valet), and a blue queen (Dame). The dice (1.7cm square) are made of plastic.
No information was provided with the dice when they were donated to the Museum, but the letter on the dice suggests that the dice were made to be used in Europe in countries which have similar markings on playing cards. It is also assumed that the set should include 5 die, and one was missing when it was donated to the Museum.
Compare the European set a commercial set from the United States in the Museum collection pictured on the right. Note that the European set has rounded corners, while the US set has square corners. Also note that while the European set is in three colors - red, black, blue - the US set is in four colors: red, black, blue, and green.
However, there are similarities between the two sets. Both include the three face cards: king, queen, jack. The also include both the ace, the ten, and the nine found in an international deck used for the game of poker.
Last update May 25, 2007