Costly Flaying Cards

A pack oí caras was recentiy sola at a London stationer's for $600. It was one of the handsoniest Italian copperplate card games called "tarocchi di Montegua, " made during the fifteenth century. Auother pack of cards recently sold at Paris for almost $400. Each of the cards iu this pack is a master work of the engraver's art, and all the figures in the game were historical portraits. The queen of hearts, for instance, represented Queen Anne of England, the king of hearts being her husband, Prince George of Denmark. The qneen of diamonds was Queen Anne Sophia of Denmark, the queen of clubs the then crown princess of Prussia, the wife of Frederick William I, and the queeu of spades Princess Auna of . Russia, later on the czarina. The jacks in this deck of cards represent the most prominent diplomats of Europe at the same time.