This ad appeared in the August 1817 issue of La Belle Assemblée.
According to this post: “Up until the middle of the 19th century, the backs of most playing cards were blank. The front side, where the numbers or figures were, had ornate decorations. In some cases, there were even gilt designs and hand painting. Face cards frequently featured famous people or literary characters, such as Joan of Arc, Shakespeare, and more” (Antique Playing Card Types, Evaluation Tips and Values | LoveToKnow).
I found a thorough post from another blog on the history of playing cards that readers may find interesting: The History of Playing Cards: The Evolution of the Modern Deck – PlayingCardDecks.com
