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A brief story of Samuel Hart and Charles Henry Hart

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A brief story of Samuel Hart and Charles Henry Hart
« on: November 07, 2015, 09:00:51 PM »
 

Cryptocard27

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Picture 1: Rare one-way Back made by the N.Y Consolidated Card Co. for the Squeezers #35 deck
Picture 2: Abraham Hart
Picture 3: Charles Henry Hart
Picture 4: Charles Henry Hart

Samuel Hart, a legend in the history of American Playing Cards, was born in Philadelphia in 1818. When a youth he was employed in the auction rooms of the Messrs. Thomas and became later in life widely known as the maker of playing cards.  Coming from a long line of stationers and booksellers, Hart became acquainted with the business of paper and stationery manufacture from an early age. Hart’s immediate family had been in the business since 1831. His extended family also had similar business interests, having stores and proprietorships extending all the way from Philadelphia to New York.

Beginning his career working as an apprentice for his uncle, Lewis Joseph Cohen, Hart got his start in the family stationer business in New York City. He was made vice president of the Consolidated Card Company when that organization was formed in New York. He was also president of the Peerless Brick Company and was at one time a director of the American District Telegraph Company.

Hart was married to Julia (Leavey) Hart and leaves a son and three daughters. He died on Tuesday night of June 2, 1885, from congestion of the lungs, at his residence, 1819 Chestnut Street and was sixty-seven years of age at the time of his death.

The son of Samuel Hart, named Charles Henry Hart, was a lawyer, art critic and historian. Born in Philadelphia, February 4, 1847, he was also a nephew of Abraham Hart (1810-1885), once a well-known publisher of Philadelphia. On the paternal side he was of Dutch descent. His mother, who was native of London, England, was of English ancestry on her father’s side. Her mother was the daughter of a Frenchman named Andrade whose wife was a Spanish lady named Rodriquez.

The early education of Charles Henry Hart was acquired in private schools and under the direction of special tutors. His legal studies were pursued in the office of Hon. Samuel H. Perkins, and also in the Law Department of the University of Pennsylvania, from which he was graduated in 1869, having been admitted to the Bar in November of the previous year.

For twenty-five years he practiced law in Philadelphia, rising rapidly in the profession and acquiring a reputation as an able and conscientious councilor. In early 1894 a serious railroad accident so disabled him as to necessitate his confinement within doors for a period of two years, which finally resulted in his permanent withdrawal from practice.

After his recovery he devoted his time to literature and art, in both of which he had been a close student from his youth. Not only was he one of the best known art critics in America, but may be said to have been a pioneer in the appreciation of the art of America portraits painters. He was recognized on both sides of the Atlantic as an expert in historical portraits, his judgment having several times been adopted by the National Portrait Gallery of London. He was an earnest advocate of the superiority of English art to that of the French, and to his endeavors may be largely attributed the present high appreciation in the United States of the works of English artists.

He was director of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in 1882-1902, and as chairman of the exhibition committee instituted in 1887 the first exhibition of historical portraits in this country. In 1903 he served as chairman of the committee on retrospective art at the World’s Columbian Exposition. In 1889 he was appointed a member of the committee of fifty to arrange the celebration in New York City of the centennial anniversary of the inauguration of Pres. Washington, being the only non-resident thus honored.

He was a member of the American Historical Association, the historical societies of Massachusetts, Maine, Long Island, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, Georgia, etc.; the New England Historical and Genealogical Society, the Essex Institute, Philadelphia Society of Etchers, and the Academy of Natural Sciences. He was the author of articles upon Philadelphia in the Encyclopedia Britannica (1885-1903), and also of: “Bibliographia Lincolniana”; “Life Portraits of Great Americans”; “Portraits of Washington” and many others.

Charles Henry Hart was thrice married: First on November 16, 1869 to Armine, daughter of John Nixon; on February 16, 1905 to Marianne Livingston, daughter of William Lacy Phillips, of Philadelphia and on December 7, 1912, to Anita, daughter of Senor Don Alfonso Gonzales y Arabe, of Sevilla, Spain. There was one son by the second marriage, Charles Henry Hart, Jr.

The son of Samuel Hart died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, July 29, 1918.
« Last Edit: November 07, 2015, 09:17:55 PM by Cryptocard27 »
 

Re: A brief story of Samuel Hart and Charles Henry Hart
« Reply #1 on: November 08, 2015, 10:37:04 AM »
 

52plusjoker

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Interesting back - how do we know it is from a Hart deck?

The character is clearly Pickwick - visit this link for information and pictures of the Pickwick deck by Kyd
http://www.wopc.co.uk/uk/pickwick



« Last Edit: November 08, 2015, 10:51:30 AM by 52plusjoker »
Tom Dawson
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Re: A brief story of Samuel Hart and Charles Henry Hart
« Reply #2 on: November 08, 2015, 11:17:53 AM »
 

Cryptocard27

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Interesting back - how do we know it is from a Hart deck?

The character is clearly Pickwick - visit this link for information and pictures of the Pickwick deck by Kyd
http://www.wopc.co.uk/uk/pickwick

I am sure because I saw the auction for the deck on eBay (fr) the last year (item 301342431890). It was sold in a very nice wooden box with a Dougherty triplicate deck (item 301342401725). And there was these words on the box: "Souvenir de Lady Pons, 12 Août 1882 - Menlo Park." Unfortunately, I kept only the picture of the back and the rest of the images is now inaccessible. But I contacted the seller to try to have a chance to get back the other images. Thank you for the Pickwick info.

Meanwhile, another interesting old NYCC back.
« Last Edit: November 09, 2015, 09:54:00 AM by 52plusjoker »
 

Re: A brief story of Samuel Hart and Charles Henry Hart
« Reply #3 on: November 09, 2015, 09:55:17 AM »
 

52plusjoker

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Interesting back - how do we know it is from a Hart deck?

The character is clearly Pickwick - visit this link for information and pictures of the Pickwick deck by Kyd
http://www.wopc.co.uk/uk/pickwick

I am sure because I saw the auction for the deck on eBay (fr) the last year (item 301342431890). It was sold in a very nice wooden box with a Dougherty triplicate deck (item 301342401725). And there was these words on the box: "Souvenir de Lady Pons, 12 Août 1882 - Menlo Park." Unfortunately, I kept only the picture of the back and the rest of the images is now inaccessible. But I contacted the seller to try to have a chance to get back the other images. Thank you for the Pickwick info.

Meanwhile, another interesting old NYCC back.

If the Ace was depicted we know for sure - otherwise just because the seller said it was Hart does not mean it was.
Tom Dawson
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Re: A brief story of Samuel Hart and Charles Henry Hart
« Reply #4 on: November 11, 2015, 09:38:47 AM »
 

Cryptocard27

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If the Ace was depicted we know for sure - otherwise just because the seller said it was Hart does not mean it was.

Sorry but I don't understand your doubt. I wait for the additional pictures from the buyer but the deck was really made by Samuel Hart. I did not lie but you are free to not believe me..
« Last Edit: November 11, 2015, 09:41:24 AM by Cryptocard27 »
 

Re: A brief story of Samuel Hart and Charles Henry Hart
« Reply #5 on: November 11, 2015, 04:31:02 PM »
 

52plusjoker

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If the Ace was depicted we know for sure - otherwise just because the seller said it was Hart does not mean it was.

Sorry but I don't understand your doubt. I wait for the additional pictures from the buyer but the deck was really made by Samuel Hart. I did not lie but you are free to not believe me..
Let me be clearer - We know if we see a Hart Ace with the same back. If we do not see the Ace, how can we be sure it is a Hart deck? I WAS NOT ACCUSING YOU OF LYING - it is not a question at all about believing you - rather if your belief that it was a Hart deck was based on representations from an eBay seller, that they might not be accurate.
Tom Dawson
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Re: A brief story of Samuel Hart and Charles Henry Hart
« Reply #6 on: November 15, 2015, 01:51:51 AM »
 

Cryptocard27

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Let me be clearer - We know if we see a Hart Ace with the same back. If we do not see the Ace, how can we be sure it is a Hart deck? I WAS NOT ACCUSING YOU OF LYING - it is not a question at all about believing you - rather if your belief that it was a Hart deck was based on representations from an eBay seller, that they might not be accurate.

No problem. I do not reproach you to accuse me with anything but I just wanted to say that I had seen the sale on eBay and compared to what I saw, I could guarantee you that it was a Hart deck. However, I just wait for a last with several back cards on the same photo but I received some additional photos from the buyer, to remove any possible doubt.
« Last Edit: November 15, 2015, 01:53:25 AM by Cryptocard27 »
 

Re: A brief story of Samuel Hart and Charles Henry Hart
« Reply #7 on: November 15, 2015, 08:26:46 AM »
 

52plusjoker

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Thanks for the update. This is what I was hoping for - a picture of the Ace and/or Joker with that back. Great deck and a very different style than Hart commonly used.
Tom Dawson
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Re: A brief story of Samuel Hart and Charles Henry Hart
« Reply #8 on: November 21, 2015, 08:14:16 AM »
 

Cryptocard27

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The buyer has sent me the last photo. I agree, this is a really great deck and I think that the price of 125€ for which it was sold was correct. I remember that this deck was complete but special because it had two joker, two five of clubs while the seven of clubs was missing. Maybe a mix between two identical decks with the same back?
« Last Edit: November 21, 2015, 08:21:29 AM by Cryptocard27 »