Albert Field Collection of Playing Cards, 16th - 20th centuries

Collection context

Creator:
Field, Albert
Extent:
6300 items (6300 individual decks of playing cards, plus extensive ephemera and a library of reference books)
Language:
English .
Scope and content:

The Albert Field Collection of Playing Cards contains more than 6300 individual decks of playing cards as well as extensive ephemera and a library of reference books. The decks, ranging from the 16th through the 20th centuries, and across the world, are a rich vein of primary source material in popular imagery, costume, advertising, propaganda, as well as elite culture. Holdings are especially strong from early modern England, revolutionary France, the early American Republic, across a broad range of nineteenth-century national styles, and especially in transformation cards.

Biographical / historical:

George Albert Field, Jr. (November 8, 1916 in Maplewood, NJ; died August 4, 2003 in Queens, NY) – or "Cap" to his friends – received his A.B. in English from Columbia College, and an A.M. from Harvard. He made his career teaching English, science, and mathematics at Columbia Preparatory School and in New York City public schools, but he is better known as one of the foremost authenticators of the works of Salvador Dali. Field began to collect playing cards in earnest following the Second World War, receiving advice and encouragement from noted collectors William Penn and Sylvia Mann. After Penn's death in 1966, Field and Mann agreed to purchase and divide Penn's collection in order to preserve its provenance and to supplement their own collections. For the remainder of his life, Field continued to acquire decks in frequent travels to Europe and across the United States, and he developed a thorough, cross-referenced cataloging system to organize his collection.

Access and use

Restrictions:

This collection is located onsite.

Location of this collection:
6th Floor East Butler Library
535 West 114th Street
New York, NY 10027, USA
Before you visit:
Researchers interested in viewing materials in the RBML reading room must must book an appointment at least 7 days in advance. To make the most of your visit, be sure to request your desired materials before booking your appointment, as researchers are limited to 5 items per day.
Contact:
rbml@library.columbia.edu