Curiosity Corner #265: Pick a card...any card.

from a deck of cards, and I bet you the design
is boringly repetative.
Long before stamps were his forte, a certain Guernseyman,
living in London, an absolute genius in graphic design turned
his hand to playing cards.

His name? Thomas de la Rue

I thought on topic at the moment, because his letters patent
shows the Lion and Unicorn
Playing cards? "Honi soit qui maly pense" indeed.
http://cjoint.com/data/mbdQxAhtzP.htm

The resultant acceptance and success of his business
proved the downfall of freedom of expression on playing cards,
Reversing Dr. Johnson's comment on Dryden's effect on literature,
it may be said of Thomas de la Rue...
"He found a small amount of marble, and left a great quantity of brick"

Acknowledgement: "Playing Cards" Roger Tilley.1973