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# 2

Obituary notice for a son, Belgian, 1772.

Lambert Benoit François Vander Meulen, Chancellor of this city & Josine Fremineur hereby announce the death of their Son, Jean Baptiste Vander Meulen, who died on 7 September 1772, whose service will take place on Tuesday, the 15th of this Month at 10:00 in the Parish Church of Saint Gery. R.I.P.

The exact origins of having personal announcements printed on playing cards are as yet unknown. The first obituary notices on playing cards, however, were being printed before 1764. The National Museum for Playing Cards in Turnhout, Belgium, has one printed obituary notice dating February 25, 1763.
These notices were also written by hand. I have seen examples dating 1764 and 1766. The custom of having them printed became so popular that printers such as Pauwels in Brussels started printing their name on the cards.
Wedding announcements were also written and printed on playing cards. This secondary use of playing cards remained popular until around 1820. Obituary notices and wedding announcements on playing cards were only used by important and wealthy families in Belgium, mainly in Brussels.

Gejus                           

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