Set of 16 Playing Cards for the Game of As Nas

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Images(17)

CulturePersian

Titles

Set of 16 Playing Cards for the Game of As Nas

Date19th century

MediumWatercolor, gold-colored pigments, and lacquer on pasteboard

DimensionsEach: 2 3/8 × 1 9/16 in. (6 × 4 cm)

Credit LineGift of Dr. Jalal and Mrs. Safa Golshan

Object number2017.11.1-.16

Not on view

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Department

Art of the Islamic Worlds

Object Type

DOLLS, TOYS & GAMES

DescriptionThese playing cards were designed for the game of As Nas, which became popular in 19th-century Iran. The rules of As Nas closely resemble those of poker. Each deck contains five suits: As (ace), featuring a lion combating a dragon and other mythical beasts; shah (king); bibi (queen); sarbaz (soldier); and lakat (dancer). One of the shah examples here depicts the contemporary ruler Nasir al-Din Shah (r. 1848–96).
ProvenanceDr. Jalal Golshan, Houston, until 2017 [1]; given to MFAH, 2017.

[1] These 16 playing cards from the second half of the 19th century have been in the family of Dr. Golshan (who in 2017 was 95 years old) for as long as he could remember.

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

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