late 1700s - french transformation deck:: Transformation decks are remarkable examples of imagination, cunning and whimsy and were unusual in that the numbered cards were often more beautiful and interesting than the court cards. The pips, that is the spades, hearts, diamonds or clubs, were transformed into creative images from nature, genre or allegorical scenes and still-lifes. For example, the two of Hearts might transform into two cupids, where the heart "pips" are the cupids wings.

In this deck, dating from the Empire period, the court cards, including the jacks, are all in period costume and are the ideal physical shape for the time, with long, lean torsos and limbs. Interestingly, only the jack of hearts retains his traditional character as the French warrior La Hire... the others are all representations of different historical figures; Lionel (spades), Raimont (diamonds) and Montgomery (clubs).

1819 - french transformation deck:: This deck dates from the Second Restoration period in France, and the transformations are more cheeky and satirical in style, often bawdy, lewd and even occasionally racist. Hearts become buttocks or cleavage, spades and clubs turn into black slaves... this is objectionable today, but was considered amusing by a dominant white male society at this time.

The jacks, or valets, are Bazile (a French painter?, spades), Figaro (as in "The Marriage of...", hearts), Don Quichotte [sic] (The "Man of La Mancha", diamonds) and Clopineau (?, clubs).

1700s - fanciful deck with tales from aesop's fables:: Playing cards were often used to instruct, educate or promote nationalism or propaganda in the 1700s and 1800s. The cards could still be used to play popular games but were also meant illustrate historical events, heraldic coats of arms, or in this case, show moralizing tales from the fables of Aesop.

The card rank and suit is illustrated in miniature in the upper left corner (perhaps as a forerunner to the modern index we have on cards) while the fable is illustrated and typed in the main window of the card. The jack of Spades tale is "The Young KITE & his mother"; the jack of Hearts illustrates "The WOLF and CRANE"; the jack of Diamonds shows "The DOG and Piece of FLESH" and the jack of Clubs features the tale of "The FOX and STORK".