In 1600s London, the playing card industry was on a roll. Cards were all the rage, and local businesses thrived as card games became a popular pastime across classes. Card makers couldn’t keep up with the demand, so the English government decided to keep the industry local: they banned imported playing cards and created rules that would protect the work of British card makers.
To protect their unique designs, cardmakers began to register and patent their creations. Each card pack came with a distinct “mark” or logo—a unique identifier that set one brand apart from another.
Some of these early trademarks included “Three Hammers,” “King’s Arms,” “Crown,” “Greyhound,” “Hand in Hand,” “Lion Rampant,” “Lurking Lion,” “Royal Oak,” and “Queen’s Head.” Each mark told a story of its own, reflecting the identity of the cardmaker.
In 1706, an iconic trademark was born. The mark of “Henry VIII,” named after England’s infamous king, was officially registered, joining the list of well-known symbols on London’s playing cards.
But in 1741, one cardmaker stood out from the rest. His name was Christopher Blanchard, one of the wealthiest and most successful in the business. “The Great Mogul” as his trademark. The name alluded grandeur of the Mughal Empire, one of the world’s most powerful empires at the time, spanning much of South Asia.
Ironically, the history of Britain’s Great Mogul Playing Cards began some two decades before the British East India Company began to seize control of land and kingdoms in the Subcontinent.
However, the following year, in 1742, “The Great Mogul” design became part of a landmark case in Britain’s history. Blanchard’s trademark was at the center of a dispute in the Chancery Court, one of Britain’s most prestigious courts, known for handling cases of equity and intellectual property. The case marked the first time that a trademark dispute was legally addressed in Britain and laid the foundation for what would become modern intellectual property law.
For nearly two centuries, “Mogul Cards” remained a status symbol, their mark representing quality and prestige. By the 19th century, however, these cards entered the public domain. Once in the public domain, the Mogul design could be used freely by any card maker, no longer exclusively tied to Blanchard.
Finally, in August 1881, the Mogul’s story took one last legal turn when Blanchard’s successors registered “The Great Mogul” bust as an official trademark. This registration marked a milestone in trademark history, solidifying “The Great Mogul” as one of the most recognized symbols in the card-making world.
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