Prussian Pattern
Derived from Jagdkarten or Hunting cards with patriotic overtones and rural scenes as vignettes on the numeral cards, the Prussian pattern emerged in the middle of the nineteenth century.
Prussian Pattern, later type
Derived from Jagdkarten or Hunting cards with patriotic overtones, the Prussian pattern coincided with the emergence of politically ambitious Prussia in the middle of the nineteenth century. The figures are largely drawn from the Prussian bourgeoisie with rural scenes as vignettes on the numeral cards. By around 1865 these previously single-figure packs had settled into a standard double-ended version which has had few variations since and embraces a more general theme in its illustration, the lower court cards portraying a more varied set of characters. At first the pattern showed a more or less constant set of vignettes on the numeral cards (known as "Genrebildchen") but possibly as a result of the increased facilities for travel, it later entered the souvenir market with the second type depicting views, usually of the surrounding area in which the cards were made.
An edition of the Prussian pattern by B. Dondorf c.1930 can be seen here. The pack is still made and used and has also been made in Silesia and Cracow. The example shown below is from an antique deck made in Altenburg around 1895.
By Simon Wintle
Member since February 01, 1996
Founder and editor of the World of Playing Cards since 1996. He is a former committee member of the IPCS and was graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal for many years. He has lived at various times in Chile, England and Wales and is currently living in Extremadura, Spain. Simon's first limited edition pack of playing cards was a replica of a seventeenth century traditional English pack, which he produced from woodblocks and stencils.
Related Articles
Unimog UX 100
Cartoons promoting the Unimog UX 100, a small truck produced by Mercedes-Benz.
Juristenskat
Caricatures of lawyers and judges by Philipp Heinisch for HEEL Verlag.
Battles in Mexico, 1847
Uncut proof sheet with Mexican Battle scenes on the aces and portraits of American generals on the c...
Double-ended German-suited pack by Josef Glanz, Vienna.
From the British Museum collection.
Medizin Skat
Promotional pack for a hospital group in the Saarland, with non-standard suits and courts designed b...
Opernkarte I
Humorous designs by Peter Becker on the theme of the Opera.
Introduction to Collecting Themes
Playing cards can be broadly categorised into standard and non-standard designs, with collectors app...
Haushaltgeräte
Publicity pack for VEB Kombinat Haushaltgeräte, makers of household goods, with designs by Volker Ha...
Animal Tarot by Johann Jobst Forster
French-suited 78-card animal tarot deck of the Bavarian type.
Uncut Sheet by Johann Jobst Forster
A proof sheet containing twelve court cards of conventional French type.
Mit Rhino auftrumpfen
Black rhinos on a publicity pack for Armstrong, a flooring company, with comic designs by Pit Flick....
Walt Disney Cards II
Mickey, Minnie, Pluto and other familiar Disney characters.
Hilti I
Promotional pack for Hilti power tools, with courts in medieval costume and non-standard pips.
Transair
Humorous designs promoting Transair, a German charter flight operator.
Merz Pharma Skat
Comic designs promoting Merz Pharma, a German drug company.
escART, ec-ART, SKAT
Fully illustrated pack printed from etchings by Johannes Vennekamp.
Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here.