Wiener pattern
The Vienna pattern, or Wiener Bild, is a distant relative of the early Lyons pattern. The King of Hearts carries a scroll in his hand.
Austrian ‘Wiener’ pattern
The Vienna pattern, or Wiener Bild, a distant relative of the early Lyons pattern, is sometimes nicknamed 'Large Crown' on account of large crowns on the Kings. The King of Hearts carries a scroll in his hand (at first glance it looks like a fan), the Queen of Diamonds sniffs a flower and the King of Spades has a banner bearing the manufacturer's name.
This pattern first appeared in the early 19th century in this characteristically 'geometric' style. The pattern has always been double-ended and mostly in 32-card format, usually without corner indices. It is still produced today by Piatnik of Vienna.
Right: four cards from the Vienna pattern, or Wiener Bild, printed from engraved plates by Titze & Schinkay, mid-19th century.
Below: ‘Schnapskarten Nr.1700’ (Large crown) made by Ferd Piatnik & Söhne, Vienna, 1978. 24 cards in box►
Above: cards from 32-card Vienna pattern, or "Wiener Bild" pack, manufactured by Mathias Koller, Vienna, c.1815.
Small Crown
Above: Piatnik Small Crown pattern, 1970s. 52 cards + jokers. Courtesy Rex Pitts.
By Simon Wintle
Member since February 01, 1996
I am the founder of The World of Playing Cards (est. 1996), a website dedicated to the history, artistry and cultural significance of playing cards and tarot. Over the years I have researched various areas of the subject, acquired and traded collections and contributed as a committee member of the IPCS and graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal. Having lived in Chile, England, Wales, and now Spain, these experiences have shaped my work and passion for playing cards. Amongst my achievements is producing a limited-edition replica of a 17th-century English pack using woodblocks and stencils—a labour of love. Today, the World of Playing Cards is a global collaborative project, with my son Adam serving as the technical driving force behind its development. His innovative efforts have helped shape the site into the thriving hub it is today. You are warmly invited to become a contributor and share your enthusiasm.
Related Articles
Ukraine playing cards
Historical figures from Ukraine’s past in a familiar Piatnik style.
MITSCHKAtzen
Clever cat designs by the Austrian artist and illustrator Willi Mitschka.
Tarock Cards by NIL Spielkartenfabrik
A deck of tarock cards from the eastern end of the ending Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Whist by Ditha Moser
Ditha Moser created this minimalist Whist deck in 1905, in the style of the Vienna Secession art mov...
Gabriel Uffenheimer
Rare example of the production of Johann Gabriel Uffenheimer, Guntramsdorf, 1825.
Play Architecture
Twentieth century architects and their creations on a well-designed pack from Finland.
Art pack I
Art pack featuring Old Masters, including Bruegel, Vermeer, Titian, Raphael, Caravaggio, Canaletto, ...
Karl Korab
Austrian artist Karl Korab’s first pack, displaying his use of different techniques.
Johann Nejedly Tarok Cards
Johann Nejedly, a 19th-century Viennese card maker, produced Tarock cards featuring modern scenes th...
Austria Ski Team playing cards
Photos of members of the Austrian skiing team replace the normal courts on two different packs.
Grunwald 1410 – The Battle of Tannenberg
Details from the famous painting of the Battle of Grunwald (1410) by the Polish painter Jan Matejko....
Colonial Art
A collection of 53 pieces of art showcasing detailed scenes from early American colonial life.
Joseph Sürch, Engraver
Joseph Sürch, a prominent Viennese engraver, made significant contributions to card sheet engraving ...
Piatnik’s 200th Anniversary
A special philatelic souvenir for Piatnik’s 200th anniversary, combining playing cards an...
Trappola pack by Joseph Glanz
Double-ended Trappola pack by Joseph Glanz, Vienna, late 19th century.
Art pack II, Austria
Renaissance portraits by Albrecht Dürer, Lucas Cranach, Hans Holbein, Barthel Beham, Christoph Amber...
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 28 days
