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In the Uppsala University Museum Gustavianum stands a famous early 17th century cabinet, the so-called Augsburg Art Cabinet. Created by the Augsburg art dealer and diplomat Philipp Hainhofer, it is an elaborate piece of artistically designed furniture containing miniaturized curiosities, many tools and other objects. Taking 30 craftsmen from Augsburg under Hainhofer's supervision six years to construct (from 1610 to 1616), it is the only cabinet of its kind from the turn of the 17th century whose collection remains intact. Its approximately 1000 objects aim to symbolize the knowledge of all of humankind in one place. Art cabinets were regarded highly in the world of regal fashion of the time and the Augsburg Art Cabinet made for a luxurious gift, presented to King Gustav II Adolf of Sweden when he visited Augsburg in the spring of 1632.

Since then, this "Reise-Wunderkammer", with its many objects, such as stuffed animals from distant lands, rare pearls and precious stones, coral and ostrich eggs, has been in Sweden´s possession. Hainhofer designed such furniture for progressive nobles and the wealthy upper class who wanted to exhibit their sense of cosmopolitanism and curiosity, as well as wealth and education. Virtually everything that looked strange and mysterious, that exuded art and skill was presented. Chinese porcelain and globes, wax figures, skulls, mother-of-pearl plates, silver coconuts, music boxes - the more diverse a cabinet was, the better.

The intellectual, empirical and artistic study of these objects came to be the starting point of the modern scientific approach. The purpose of my paper is to examine the musical pack of cards that house the collection of the art cabinet. This multifunctional piece of furniture in ebony, which can save as a dressing table or pharmacy, contains musical instruments and a large number of games as well as an altar. I will concentrate on the function of the musical playing cards within the framework of the art cabinet concept, the aim being to find out what function they had. Was the actual intention to make music with the musical deck of cards? If so, this begs the question, who would have been able to do this and how?