Rare 18th C Italian Playing Cards All’Aquila Bologna 14 Card Partial Deck For Sale

Rare group of 14 original 18th-century Italian playing cards associated with the historic All’Aquila cardmaking workshop/sign of Bologna, Italy, dating approximately c.1760–1790.The cards retain distinctive blue printed backs featuring an elaborate foliate design surrounding a central human face/figure, with “ALL’AQUILA” printed prominently along the bottom. The faces are French-suited, with red hearts and diamonds and black spades/clubs.Each card measures approximately 3 7/8 × 2 inches (98 × 51 mm). Construction, paper, square corners, printing and turned-over/outlined edges are consistent with surviving 18th-century Bolognese playing cards.All’Aquila is a documented Bologna cardmaking designation from the second half of the 18th century. The Bibliothèque nationale de France holds a 1763 Bologna pack bearing the All’Aquila designation and identifying Gaetano della Casa. Other documented All’Aquila makers include Angelo Dalla Casa and Giacomo Zoni. Because this partial group does not contain a surviving maker-identification card, no specific individual maker is being claimed here.A complete 52-card French-suited All’Aquila pack attributed to Angelo Dalla Casa and dated circa 1760–1780 sold at Dominic Winter in 2023 for £1,600. That deck is provided only as historical/market context and is not represented as identical to this partial group.Condition: Antique condition with age-related toning, staining, surface wear, minor edge wear, cockling/creasing and natural irregularities consistent with handmade cards of this period. Printed pips remain strong and the blue All’Aquila back design is remarkably clear on the surviving cards. Please examine all photographs carefully as they form an important part of the condition description.Included: 14 cards total, sold together as one partial historic pack/group. No box or additional cards included.An unusual surviving group of approximately 240–260-year-old Bolognese playing cards, particularly desirable for collectors of early Italian playing cards, gaming history, printing, paper ephemera and antique card decks.