Four Arms on the King of Hearts

[PrincessTrouble]

Why does the King of Hearts have four arms?

[ecNate]

Since the modern traditional court evolved from the Rouen pattern of cards in the 1500s, being copied and reproduced many times, the details were lost in the process.  Especially considering the crude methods of reproduction involving carved wooden plates and just simple process of reproduction.  This combined with moving from full portrait to mirrored bust style means a lot has changed and hands were simply lost if there was not enough contrast or was lower in the original.  As an example, the King of Clubs used to have a hand holding the orb, but now it is simply floating.  Basically it's the only one that has the 2nd hand make it through the journey of time and reproductions.

Even as early as the 17th century, English manufacturers had blurred the details of their French invented characters, and their duped blunder in reproduction was taken as fact and faithfully duplicated over time. What once looked like the swing of a battle-axe may now seem like the hilt of a sword, and where there was once sword, may not now even be a hand. Things got lost, things were changed. These were the inauspicious semblances of the English Pattern.

http://whiteknucklecards.com/nsp/rouenpattern.html
http://i-p-c-s.org/faq/tmfaq2.php
http://www.wopc.co.uk/cards/courts