The Anorak's Journal

On the 12th June 1817 a nobleman was seen whizzing down a main road in Southern Germany on a curious wooden vehicle. This eccentric chap was prolific inventor Karl Drais on his new 'Laufmaschine'. The world's first bicycle was about to cause quite a stir! Depiction of Drais on his maiden voyage, an 8.6 mile round trip which took him just over an hour! JACK OF ALL TRADES German aristocrat and amateur inventor Karl Drais  debuted his contraption on a n 8 ½ mile tour  around his hometown. However, this wasn't his first vehicular creation...  B y 1817, he had already invented 2 four-wheeled human-powered vehicles, which sadly did not take off. After the Laufmaschine, Drais also went on to create the first meat grinder, an early stenograph, the draisine handcar, and the first  typewriter with a keyboard . A true Jack of all trades! Portrait of Karl Drais (1820). HORSES AND THE YEAR WITHOUT A SUMMER In the early 19th century, horses were everywhere. They were the perfect t...

Hofämterspiel cards Hofämterspiel  is one of the earliest complete preserved decks of playing cards. Handmade in the 15th century, this 48-card set was commissioned by Ladislaus the Posthumous, King of Hungary and Bohemia. The cards were found amongst Archduke Ferdinand II's collection of art treasures, along with a deck named Ambraser Hofjagdspiel (though this is incomplete). Hofämterspiel's four suits carry the coats of arms of France, Germany, Bohemia, and Hungary. This deck  beautifully illuminates  the political and dynastic relationships in late medieval Central Europe in tempera paint and gold leaf. Nerryn and Narr, The Fool cards WHAT'S ON THE CARDS? Titled in archaic German, Hofämterspiel's illustrations depict a variety of court functions during the late Middle Ages. The cards are labelled 1 to 10 in Roman numerals, except for the king and queen which are the only ones whose occupation is not stated. The social statuses of the characters in the deck are dem...