‘501’ playing cards by Alf Cooke

Published July 03, 1996 Updated July 01, 2023

“Five 'o One” playing cards, a version of the Dondorf Rhineland pattern, manufactured by Universal Playing Card Co. Ltd for export to Scandinavia.

1960 Scandinavia & Nordic Countries Sweden United Kingdom Alf Cooke / Universal Patterns and Suit Types

A version of the Dondorf Rhineland pattern manufactured by Universal Playing Card Co. Ltd for export to several Scandinavian countries.

501 playing cards by Alf Cooke

Above: eight cards from "Five 'o One" playing cards, a version of the Dondorf Rhineland pattern, manufactured by Universal Playing Card Co. Ltd in around 1960 for export to Denmark and Sweden. Scandinavian indices K, D, Kn on the courts. Each suit is differentiated by a different colour glow in the background of the court figures.

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By Roddy Somerville

Member since May 31, 2022

Roddy started collecting stamps on his 8th birthday. In 1977 he joined the newly formed playing-card department at Stanley Gibbons in London before setting up his own business in Edinburgh four years later. His collecting interests include playing cards, postcards, stamps (especially playing cards on stamps) and sugar wrappers. He is a Past President of the Scottish Philatelic Society, a former Chairman of the IPCS, a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards and Curator of the WCMPC’s collection of playing cards. He lives near Toulouse in France.

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