Prof. Franciszek Bunsch
Prof. Franciszek Bunsch, Polish playing-card designer.
Franciszek Bunsch
Franciszek Bunsch was assistant professor in the Cracovian Academy of Fine Art.
Bunsch studied painting and graphics at the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow and graphics at the Akademie Výtarných Umeni in Prague. During the 1950s, 60s and 70s he designed packs of playing cards for the Krakowskie Zaklady Wyrobów Papierowych (KZWP) state playing card factory. His designs followed traditions of Polish folklore painting and showed traditional costumes from different parts of the country. He also designed packs with historic personalities.
Above: cards from a 32-card German-suited Skat pack designed in 1963 which is based loosely on the German 'Prussian' style see more→
Above: Joker and three court cards from a standard Anglo-American deck based on Goodall designs by Franciszek Bunsch for KZWP, c.1965. Bunsch's monogram can be seen at the centre of the Joker. A two-colour version Communist-era 'Biwak' patience set is shown below, with the retail price printed as 70 zloty + 3 zloty. See the same court cards used in Cardiology Trials deck→
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.
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