TWO TORTOISESHELL CIRCULAR PLAYING CARDS (GANJIFAS)

The first mention of this card game called Ganjifa is in the Chronicles of Babur in the 16th century. Other authors such as Ahli Shirazi in Rub'ayat-i Ganjifa (circa 1514-15) and Abu al-Fazl in 'Ayn-i Akbari also mention the game in details. The Mughal Ganjifa contains eight suits, each of 12 cards for a complete pack of 96 cards. The cards were very often illustrated, in a style that would follow the local school of painting. However it seems that a certain conservatism in the styles of Ganjifa painting has made them difficult to date precisely. Although often made of papier-mache and cardboard, the best examples were made of ivory and tortoiseshell, such as the present pieces.

In the 'Ayn-i Akbari, Abu al-Fazl described how Abkar's set of cards, through the eight suits, would depict the activity of each of his administrative departments. For a discussion on Mughal Ganjifa, see Rudolf Van Leyden, The Arts of Playing Cards, in Facets of Indian Art, London, 1982, pp.256-259. A related tortoiseshell card sold at Christie’s South Kensington, 11 April 2014, lot 11.