Astronomical Card Game

In 1656 'Das Astronomische Kartenspiel', created by Georg Philipp Harsdörfer, containing a set of playing card designs based on the astronomical constellations, was published in Nürnberg. The 52 engravings were based on a well known earlier work, the 'Uranometria' or star atlas by Johann Bayer published in Augsburg, Germany, in 1603. The suits follow the convention used in German playing cards of that period, with Leaves, Bells, Acorns and Hearts. There are three court cards in each suit, the King, the Overknave which we now name as the Queen, and the Underknave or Jack. For this book, Adam McLean has coloured the engravings.