Charles Bartlet 'American Manufacture' Playing Cards, c.1830

Story

In the 1830s, Boston cardmaker Charles Bartlet used this bold bald eagle design to declare independence from British card imports. Hidden in a home's rafters for over a century, these cards survived the rise and fall of empires.

Maker / Origin

Charles Bartlet was an early 19th-century Boston-based card manufacturer active during a period when American makers were fiercely competing with high-quality English imports. To appeal to patriotic sentiments, makers like Bartlet integrated nationalistic symbols like the bald eagle, federal stars, and explicit 'American Manufacture' text directly onto their Ace of Spades.

Condition & Value

The cards show significant wear, rounding of corners, surface dirt, and staining consistent with being stored in a house's rafters for over a century. There is a visible horizontal crease/crack on the back of one card, and five cards are missing from the deck.