| Flip top card tables in the drawing room would be brought
from the walls to the center of the room and set up for guests to play
cards. Whist, vingt-et-un, piquet, or loo might be played. Wine,
cheese, fruit, and bread would be served from salvers on the pier tables.
Perhaps a trendy French jelly with its translucent color reflecting the
candle light will be served. The hostess will look on with satisfaction
as the candle light reflects a mellow glow in the highly polished silver
and sparkling
glass of her service. |
|
| Loo
is played using all 52 cards by 3 to 8 players. Players have the
opportunity to stay in or drop out. Anyone who stays in takes a proportionate
share of the pot for each trick they take, but has to pay in an amount equal
to the whole pot if they fail to take any tricks. |
 |
| Piquet
– is a game for two players using 36 cards (sixes through Aces). The
players cut for the deal of each hand, and the person who draws the low
card is dealer. Each player is dealt 12 cards in groups of 2 to 4 cards.
The remaining 12 cards are placed between the players. Scores are counted
in each hand. Each player may draw up to 8 cards. Blanks, ruffs, sequences,
sets, and tricks all score points according to the rules of the game. The
first player to score 100 points wins. |
| Whist--The
classic 52-card game of whist is a plain-trick game without bidding for
4 players in fixed partnerships. Although the rules are extremely simple
there is enormous scope for scientific play. |
| Vingt-et-un—
is also called twenty-one or pontoon. It can be played by any number of
players from two upwards using a standard 52-card pack. For a large number
of players, say 8 or more, two 52 packs can be mixed together. An ace is
worth 1 or 11 at the holder's choice, kings, queens, jacks and tens are
worth ten, and the remaining cards are worth their pip value. Each player's
basic aim is to form a hand whose total value is as near as possible to
21, without going above 21. |
| |
 |
For the card party a variety of English cheeses has been ordered from
the famous cheesemongers Paxton
& Whitfield. Bread, fruit, and wines will also be offered.
|
| The Georgian menu might include: |
 |
Cheshire
a cheese with a slightly salty tang.
Cheddar
is a firm rich close textured cheese ideal for slicing and grating.
Derby
is a firm close textured cheese that is sometimes mixed with sage.
Double
Gloucester is made in large wheels and has a full flavor.
Double
Lancashire has a rich creamy texture.
Leicester
is a midland cheese with a granular texture and a mellow flavor.
Stilton
is referred to as the king of English Cheeses. It is associated with a coach
stop on the Great North Road.
Wensleydale
is a flaky textured wildly sweet cheese from Yorkshire.
|
| Sherry
would be served for the ladies and
port
wine for the gentlemen would be pulled from the wine cooler or cellaret.
In those days a wine glass rinser, an attractive tub of lemon water, was
available in the serving room for guests to rinse their glasses between
types of wine. |
 |
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| Georgian wine glass | Georgian barrel port glass | Bristol Blue glass wine glass rinser | Georgian silver salver |
|
A History of Playing Cards and a Bibliography of Cards and Gaming by Catherine Perry Hargrave
Antique Playing Cards : A Pictorial History by Henry Rene D'Allemagne
Magazine devoted to historic playing cards: International
Playing Card Society Membership [MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION] |
