Playing cards

Museum number:
9-11915a-l
Permalink:
ark:/21549/hm210911915a@2dl
Accession number:
Acc.2848
Description:
Playing cards in a box; (a) & (b): rectangular wooden box with sliding lid; painted & gilded with 10 incarnations of Vishnu on sides, Krishna on lid; Telugu inscriptions refer to the incarnations; (c)-(l) circular cards, paper, painted and lacquered over a gesso undercoat; 10 suits of 12 cards representing each of the 10 avatars or incarnations of Vishnu: (c) Matsya, the fish, #3 & #6 missing; (d) Kurma, the tortoise, #9 missing; (e) Varaha the boar, #10 and mantri card missing; (f) Narasimha, the man-lion, #8 and mantri card; (g) Vamana, the dwarf, #7 missing; (h) Parasurama, or Rama with an Axe, #10 missing; (i) Rama, #10 missing; (j) Krishna, Raja card missing; (k) Balarama, #4 & 2 court cards missing; (l) Kalki, the horse, #’s 8, 10 and Raja card missing.
Donor:
Mrs. Theodore Roth
Collection place:
Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh, India
Verbatim coll. place:
India, Andhra Pradesh, Cuddappah District, Nossam att.
Culture or time period:
Telugu people
Collector:
Mrs. Theodore Roth
Materials:
Gesso, Paint (coating), Paper (fiber product), and Wood (plant material)
Person depicted:
Krishna (Hindu deity) and Vishnu (Hindu deity)
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Playing cards
Function:
5.6 Sports, Games, Amusements; Gambling and Pet Accessories
Accession date:
1972
Department:
Asia (except western Russia)
Loans:
S1977-1978 #13: Physical Education Department (UC Berkeley)/Roberta Park (October 11, 1977–October 14, 1977), S1980-1981 #56: Physical Education Department (UC Berkeley)/Roberta Park (March 10, 1981–March 17, 1981), S1985-1986 #44: Heffernan Films (June 18, 1986–unknown), and S1992-1993 #8: Blackhawk Museums (November 17, 1992–unknown)
Images:
Hearst Museum object 1 of 12 titled Playing cards, accession number 9-11915a-l, described as Playing cards in a box; (a) & (b): rectangular wooden box with sliding lid; painted & gilded with 10 incarnations of Vishnu on sides, Krishna on lid; Telugu inscriptions refer to the incarnations; (c)-(l) circular cards, paper, painted and lacquered over a gesso undercoat; 10 suits of 12 cards representing each of the 10 avatars or incarnations of Vishnu: (c) Matsya, the fish, #3 & #6 missing; (d) Kurma, the tortoise, #9 missing; (e) Varaha the boar, #10 and mantri card missing; (f) Narasimha, the man-lion, #8 and mantri card; (g) Vamana, the dwarf, #7 missing; (h) Parasurama, or Rama with an Axe, #10 missing; (i) Rama, #10 missing; (j) Krishna, Raja card missing; (k) Balarama, #4 & 2 court cards missing; (l) Kalki, the horse, #’s 8, 10 and Raja card missing.Hearst Museum object 2 of 12 titled Playing cards, accession number 9-11915a-l, described as Playing cards in a box; (a) & (b): rectangular wooden box with sliding lid; painted & gilded with 10 incarnations of Vishnu on sides, Krishna on lid; Telugu inscriptions refer to the incarnations; (c)-(l) circular cards, paper, painted and lacquered over a gesso undercoat; 10 suits of 12 cards representing each of the 10 avatars or incarnations of Vishnu: (c) Matsya, the fish, #3 & #6 missing; (d) Kurma, the tortoise, #9 missing; (e) Varaha the boar, #10 and mantri card missing; (f) Narasimha, the man-lion, #8 and mantri card; (g) Vamana, the dwarf, #7 missing; (h) Parasurama, or Rama with an Axe, #10 missing; (i) Rama, #10 missing; (j) Krishna, Raja card missing; (k) Balarama, #4 & 2 court cards missing; (l) Kalki, the horse, #’s 8, 10 and Raja card missing.Hearst Museum object 3 of 12 titled Playing cards, accession number 9-11915a-l, described as Playing cards in a box; (a) & (b): rectangular wooden box with sliding lid; painted & gilded with 10 incarnations of Vishnu on sides, Krishna on lid; Telugu inscriptions refer to the incarnations; (c)-(l) circular cards, paper, painted and lacquered over a gesso undercoat; 10 suits of 12 cards representing each of the 10 avatars or incarnations of Vishnu: (c) Matsya, the fish, #3 & #6 missing; (d) Kurma, the tortoise, #9 missing; (e) Varaha the boar, #10 and mantri card missing; (f) Narasimha, the man-lion, #8 and mantri card; (g) Vamana, the dwarf, #7 missing; (h) Parasurama, or Rama with an Axe, #10 missing; (i) Rama, #10 missing; (j) Krishna, Raja card missing; (k) Balarama, #4 & 2 court cards missing; (l) Kalki, the horse, #’s 8, 10 and Raja card missing.Hearst Museum object 4 of 12 titled Playing cards, accession number 9-11915a-l, described as Playing cards in a box; (a) & (b): rectangular wooden box with sliding lid; painted & gilded with 10 incarnations of Vishnu on sides, Krishna on lid; Telugu inscriptions refer to the incarnations; (c)-(l) circular cards, paper, painted and lacquered over a gesso undercoat; 10 suits of 12 cards representing each of the 10 avatars or incarnations of Vishnu: (c) Matsya, the fish, #3 & #6 missing; (d) Kurma, the tortoise, #9 missing; (e) Varaha the boar, #10 and mantri card missing; (f) Narasimha, the man-lion, #8 and mantri card; (g) Vamana, the dwarf, #7 missing; (h) Parasurama, or Rama with an Axe, #10 missing; (i) Rama, #10 missing; (j) Krishna, Raja card missing; (k) Balarama, #4 & 2 court cards missing; (l) Kalki, the horse, #’s 8, 10 and Raja card missing.Hearst Museum object 5 of 12 titled Playing cards, accession number 9-11915a-l, described as Playing cards in a box; (a) & (b): rectangular wooden box with sliding lid; painted & gilded with 10 incarnations of Vishnu on sides, Krishna on lid; Telugu inscriptions refer to the incarnations; (c)-(l) circular cards, paper, painted and lacquered over a gesso undercoat; 10 suits of 12 cards representing each of the 10 avatars or incarnations of Vishnu: (c) Matsya, the fish, #3 & #6 missing; (d) Kurma, the tortoise, #9 missing; (e) Varaha the boar, #10 and mantri card missing; (f) Narasimha, the man-lion, #8 and mantri card; (g) Vamana, the dwarf, #7 missing; (h) Parasurama, or Rama with an Axe, #10 missing; (i) Rama, #10 missing; (j) Krishna, Raja card missing; (k) Balarama, #4 & 2 court cards missing; (l) Kalki, the horse, #’s 8, 10 and Raja card missing.Hearst Museum object 6 of 12 titled Playing cards, accession number 9-11915a-l, described as Playing cards in a box; (a) & (b): rectangular wooden box with sliding lid; painted & gilded with 10 incarnations of Vishnu on sides, Krishna on lid; Telugu inscriptions refer to the incarnations; (c)-(l) circular cards, paper, painted and lacquered over a gesso undercoat; 10 suits of 12 cards representing each of the 10 avatars or incarnations of Vishnu: (c) Matsya, the fish, #3 & #6 missing; (d) Kurma, the tortoise, #9 missing; (e) Varaha the boar, #10 and mantri card missing; (f) Narasimha, the man-lion, #8 and mantri card; (g) Vamana, the dwarf, #7 missing; (h) Parasurama, or Rama with an Axe, #10 missing; (i) Rama, #10 missing; (j) Krishna, Raja card missing; (k) Balarama, #4 & 2 court cards missing; (l) Kalki, the horse, #’s 8, 10 and Raja card missing.Hearst Museum object 7 of 12 titled Playing cards, accession number 9-11915a-l, described as Playing cards in a box; (a) & (b): rectangular wooden box with sliding lid; painted & gilded with 10 incarnations of Vishnu on sides, Krishna on lid; Telugu inscriptions refer to the incarnations; (c)-(l) circular cards, paper, painted and lacquered over a gesso undercoat; 10 suits of 12 cards representing each of the 10 avatars or incarnations of Vishnu: (c) Matsya, the fish, #3 & #6 missing; (d) Kurma, the tortoise, #9 missing; (e) Varaha the boar, #10 and mantri card missing; (f) Narasimha, the man-lion, #8 and mantri card; (g) Vamana, the dwarf, #7 missing; (h) Parasurama, or Rama with an Axe, #10 missing; (i) Rama, #10 missing; (j) Krishna, Raja card missing; (k) Balarama, #4 & 2 court cards missing; (l) Kalki, the horse, #’s 8, 10 and Raja card missing.Hearst Museum object 8 of 12 titled Playing cards, accession number 9-11915a-l, described as Playing cards in a box; (a) & (b): rectangular wooden box with sliding lid; painted & gilded with 10 incarnations of Vishnu on sides, Krishna on lid; Telugu inscriptions refer to the incarnations; (c)-(l) circular cards, paper, painted and lacquered over a gesso undercoat; 10 suits of 12 cards representing each of the 10 avatars or incarnations of Vishnu: (c) Matsya, the fish, #3 & #6 missing; (d) Kurma, the tortoise, #9 missing; (e) Varaha the boar, #10 and mantri card missing; (f) Narasimha, the man-lion, #8 and mantri card; (g) Vamana, the dwarf, #7 missing; (h) Parasurama, or Rama with an Axe, #10 missing; (i) Rama, #10 missing; (j) Krishna, Raja card missing; (k) Balarama, #4 & 2 court cards missing; (l) Kalki, the horse, #’s 8, 10 and Raja card missing.Hearst Museum object 9 of 12 titled Playing cards, accession number 9-11915a-l, described as Playing cards in a box; (a) & (b): rectangular wooden box with sliding lid; painted & gilded with 10 incarnations of Vishnu on sides, Krishna on lid; Telugu inscriptions refer to the incarnations; (c)-(l) circular cards, paper, painted and lacquered over a gesso undercoat; 10 suits of 12 cards representing each of the 10 avatars or incarnations of Vishnu: (c) Matsya, the fish, #3 & #6 missing; (d) Kurma, the tortoise, #9 missing; (e) Varaha the boar, #10 and mantri card missing; (f) Narasimha, the man-lion, #8 and mantri card; (g) Vamana, the dwarf, #7 missing; (h) Parasurama, or Rama with an Axe, #10 missing; (i) Rama, #10 missing; (j) Krishna, Raja card missing; (k) Balarama, #4 & 2 court cards missing; (l) Kalki, the horse, #’s 8, 10 and Raja card missing.Hearst Museum object 10 of 12 titled Playing cards, accession number 9-11915a-l, described as Playing cards in a box; (a) & (b): rectangular wooden box with sliding lid; painted & gilded with 10 incarnations of Vishnu on sides, Krishna on lid; Telugu inscriptions refer to the incarnations; (c)-(l) circular cards, paper, painted and lacquered over a gesso undercoat; 10 suits of 12 cards representing each of the 10 avatars or incarnations of Vishnu: (c) Matsya, the fish, #3 & #6 missing; (d) Kurma, the tortoise, #9 missing; (e) Varaha the boar, #10 and mantri card missing; (f) Narasimha, the man-lion, #8 and mantri card; (g) Vamana, the dwarf, #7 missing; (h) Parasurama, or Rama with an Axe, #10 missing; (i) Rama, #10 missing; (j) Krishna, Raja card missing; (k) Balarama, #4 & 2 court cards missing; (l) Kalki, the horse, #’s 8, 10 and Raja card missing.Hearst Museum object 11 of 12 titled Playing cards, accession number 9-11915a-l, described as Playing cards in a box; (a) & (b): rectangular wooden box with sliding lid; painted & gilded with 10 incarnations of Vishnu on sides, Krishna on lid; Telugu inscriptions refer to the incarnations; (c)-(l) circular cards, paper, painted and lacquered over a gesso undercoat; 10 suits of 12 cards representing each of the 10 avatars or incarnations of Vishnu: (c) Matsya, the fish, #3 & #6 missing; (d) Kurma, the tortoise, #9 missing; (e) Varaha the boar, #10 and mantri card missing; (f) Narasimha, the man-lion, #8 and mantri card; (g) Vamana, the dwarf, #7 missing; (h) Parasurama, or Rama with an Axe, #10 missing; (i) Rama, #10 missing; (j) Krishna, Raja card missing; (k) Balarama, #4 & 2 court cards missing; (l) Kalki, the horse, #’s 8, 10 and Raja card missing.Hearst Museum object 12 of 12 titled Playing cards, accession number 9-11915a-l, described as Playing cards in a box; (a) & (b): rectangular wooden box with sliding lid; painted & gilded with 10 incarnations of Vishnu on sides, Krishna on lid; Telugu inscriptions refer to the incarnations; (c)-(l) circular cards, paper, painted and lacquered over a gesso undercoat; 10 suits of 12 cards representing each of the 10 avatars or incarnations of Vishnu: (c) Matsya, the fish, #3 & #6 missing; (d) Kurma, the tortoise, #9 missing; (e) Varaha the boar, #10 and mantri card missing; (f) Narasimha, the man-lion, #8 and mantri card; (g) Vamana, the dwarf, #7 missing; (h) Parasurama, or Rama with an Axe, #10 missing; (i) Rama, #10 missing; (j) Krishna, Raja card missing; (k) Balarama, #4 & 2 court cards missing; (l) Kalki, the horse, #’s 8, 10 and Raja card missing.
Legacy documentation:
Documentation associated with Hearst Museum object titled Playing cards, accession number 9-11915a-l, described as Playing cards in a box; (a) & (b): rectangular wooden box with sliding lid; painted & gilded with 10 incarnations of Vishnu on sides, Krishna on lid; Telugu inscriptions refer to the incarnations; (c)-(l) circular cards, paper, painted and lacquered over a gesso undercoat; 10 suits of 12 cards representing each of the 10 avatars or incarnations of Vishnu: (c) Matsya, the fish, #3 & #6 missing; (d) Kurma, the tortoise, #9 missing; (e) Varaha the boar, #10 and mantri card missing; (f) Narasimha, the man-lion, #8 and mantri card; (g) Vamana, the dwarf, #7 missing; (h) Parasurama, or Rama with an Axe, #10 missing; (i) Rama, #10 missing; (j) Krishna, Raja card missing; (k) Balarama, #4 & 2 court cards missing; (l) Kalki, the horse, #’s 8, 10 and Raja card missing.Documentation associated with Hearst Museum object titled Playing cards, accession number 9-11915a-l, described as Playing cards in a box; (a) & (b): rectangular wooden box with sliding lid; painted & gilded with 10 incarnations of Vishnu on sides, Krishna on lid; Telugu inscriptions refer to the incarnations; (c)-(l) circular cards, paper, painted and lacquered over a gesso undercoat; 10 suits of 12 cards representing each of the 10 avatars or incarnations of Vishnu: (c) Matsya, the fish, #3 & #6 missing; (d) Kurma, the tortoise, #9 missing; (e) Varaha the boar, #10 and mantri card missing; (f) Narasimha, the man-lion, #8 and mantri card; (g) Vamana, the dwarf, #7 missing; (h) Parasurama, or Rama with an Axe, #10 missing; (i) Rama, #10 missing; (j) Krishna, Raja card missing; (k) Balarama, #4 & 2 court cards missing; (l) Kalki, the horse, #’s 8, 10 and Raja card missing.

Tools