The Knave of Bells
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1546-1550
"The Knave of Bells" is a woodcut playing card measuring 7.3 cm in height and 4.8 cm in width. Created using woodcut technique with hand-applied wash, it is attributed to the Medieval style and was probably produced in Nuremberg between 1546 and 1550.
The card is executed in the style of Clas Oth, a specialist card maker based in Nuremberg. The composition features a full-length military figure shown in profile aimed towards the right, firing a crossbow. A banner-like element with lettering appears in the field, and the suit symbol—a rounded bell—is positioned in the bottom right corner of the design.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
Playing cards were among the earliest woodcut prints, with initial references dating to around 1430. Cards of this type feature traditional German suits: hearts, bells, acorns, and leaves. For economy and speed of production, makers commonly printed an entire deck onto a single sheet of paper before colouring them by hand using shaped stencils.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- woodcut with hand-applied wash
- Dimensions
- Height: 7.3 cm; Width: 4.8 cm
Technical characteristics
- Maker recorded
- Oth, Clas
- Place recorded
- Nuremberg
Identification
- Source note
- Transcribed from the Victoria and Albert Museum collection record for this single object; how far it represents a wider collectible type has not been independently verified.
- Museum object name
- The Knave of Bells
- Museum object number
- E.989-1920
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.