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HAND-PAINTED MUGHAL GANJIFA CARDS. DECCAN (?), INDIA, CIRCA 1850.
95 OF 96 CARDS (LACKS 9 OF SHAMSHER), HAND PAINTED AND LACQUERED ON IVORY AND SHOWING CUSPED ARCHES WITH GILT FLOURISHES IN THE CORNERS AND BACKS HOUSED IN PAINTED WOODEN BOX. THE BACKS OF THE CARDS ARE DECORATED WITH A CENTRAL ORNAMENT AGAINST A RED BACKGROUND. THE DECK IS DIVIDED INTO EIGHT SUITS, EACH ONE WITH 12 CARDS, AND CONTAINING A MIR/KING, WAZIR/MINISTER, AND TEN PIP CARDS (10 TO 1). GENERALLY, THE KINGS SIT ON A SQUARE FOUR-LEGGED THRONE WITH A CURVED BACK AND BENEATH A FIXED CHAIR OR CANOPY. A SERVANT STANDS TO THE REAR AND HOLDS A FEATHER WHISK WHILE A COURTIER APPEARS IN FRONT OF THE KING. THE WAZIR USUALLY IS SHOWN SITTING ON A PRANCING HORSE. BOTH KING AND WAZIR HOLD THEIR SUIT SIGNS. THE EIGHT SUITS IN THIS DECK ARE DIVIDED INTO FOUR SUPERIOR SUITS AND FOUR INFERIOR SUITS. SUPERIOR SUITS ARE: TAJ (JEWELED CROWNS), SAFED (MOONS), SHAMSHER (SWORDS) AND GHULAM (SLAVES/SERVANTS). THE INFERIOR SUITS ARE CHANG (LYRE OR HARP) WHICH IN THIS DECK RESEMBLES A BIRD WITH A LONG BEAK, SURKH (GOLD COIN OR SUN), BARAT (DOCUMENT), AND QUIMASH (CUSHION). TWO STRIKING FEATURES OF THE CARDS IN THIS GANJIFA DECK ARE THE TOTAL ABSENCE OF WOMEN AND THE SUBSTITUTION OF BIRDS FOR CHANGES/LYRES. EVEN THE MIR/KING AND HIS CAMEL-RIDING WAZIR/MINISTER HOLD A BIRD IN THEIR HANDS.
95 OF 96 CARDS (LACKS 9 OF SHAMSHER), HAND PAINTED AND LACQUERED ON IVORY AND SHOWING CUSPED ARCHES WITH GILT FLOURISHES IN THE CORNERS AND BACKS HOUSED IN PAINTED WOODEN BOX. THE BACKS OF THE CARDS ARE DECORATED WITH A CENTRAL ORNAMENT AGAINST A RED BACKGROUND. THE DECK IS DIVIDED INTO EIGHT SUITS, EACH ONE WITH 12 CARDS, AND CONTAINING A MIR/KING, WAZIR/MINISTER, AND TEN PIP CARDS (10 TO 1). GENERALLY, THE KINGS SIT ON A SQUARE FOUR-LEGGED THRONE WITH A CURVED BACK AND BENEATH A FIXED CHAIR OR CANOPY. A SERVANT STANDS TO THE REAR AND HOLDS A FEATHER WHISK WHILE A COURTIER APPEARS IN FRONT OF THE KING. THE WAZIR USUALLY IS SHOWN SITTING ON A PRANCING HORSE. BOTH KING AND WAZIR HOLD THEIR SUIT SIGNS. THE EIGHT SUITS IN THIS DECK ARE DIVIDED INTO FOUR SUPERIOR SUITS AND FOUR INFERIOR SUITS. SUPERIOR SUITS ARE: TAJ (JEWELED CROWNS), SAFED (MOONS), SHAMSHER (SWORDS) AND GHULAM (SLAVES/SERVANTS). THE INFERIOR SUITS ARE CHANG (LYRE OR HARP) WHICH IN THIS DECK RESEMBLES A BIRD WITH A LONG BEAK, SURKH (GOLD COIN OR SUN), BARAT (DOCUMENT), AND QUIMASH (CUSHION). TWO STRIKING FEATURES OF THE CARDS IN THIS GANJIFA DECK ARE THE TOTAL ABSENCE OF WOMEN AND THE SUBSTITUTION OF BIRDS FOR CHANGES/LYRES. EVEN THE MIR/KING AND HIS CAMEL-RIDING WAZIR/MINISTER HOLD A BIRD IN THEIR HANDS.