For the whole of the 19th century a minor but most attractive fashion in gaming flourished - that of the "transformation card". The ordinary hearts, spades, clubs and diamonds on a card are "transformed" cunningly into a picture. (But the rules dictated that the pips must form part of the overall design and also remain in their original position on the card.)
Unquestionably one of the most ingenious and challenging packs ever devised was one designed and etched by I. L. S. Cowell and published in about 1811 or 1812. Many timeless social situations, such as an audience at the theatre, congregation in church, greedy employer at his table, are rendered with disrespectful amusement!
