Lawrence & Cohen Playing Cards: A Complete Deck (circa 1860)

A complete deck of 52 playing cards manufactured by Lawrence & Cohen, circa 1860. Predating the use of jokers, these cards are printed on heavy cardboard stock with a colorful back. The Ace of Spades features the Lawrence & Cohen logo, designed by Owen Jones of London. The logo replaced the original logo of L.I. Cohen's father's business, showing an eagle over a shield with "L.I. Cohen" at the top and "Manufacturer 190 WM ST. NY" at the bottom. The cards measure 3 5/8 inches high and 3 1/2 inches wide. The Queen of Hearts shows minor damage in the upper left corner, and some cards exhibit light discoloration. A partial box is included. Lewis I. Cohen, born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1800, founded the business. He was a pioneer in mechanized color printing, patenting a machine in 1835 that could print four colors in one pass. He retired in 1854, leaving the business to his son, Solomon L. Cohen, and nephew, John M. Lawrence. In 1871, Lawrence & Cohen incorporated as the New York Consolidated Card Company.

Associated People/Businesses

• Cohen, Solomon L. / Lawrence, John M.

Geography

No geographic information available.

Subjects

• Playing cards
• Printing
• 19th century

Physical Location

Arc.MS.56, Objects Box 2