Falta Envido
Naipes Argentinos para Truco "Falta Envido" created by Alberto Soifer with Gaucho courts and variant suit symbols, 1982.

Naipes Argentinos para Truco “Falta Envido” created by the artist Alberto Soifer and printed by Adans S.A., Buenos Aires, 1982. The set has Gaucho themed court cards (images repeated in each suit with different colours) and suit symbols based on Gaucho life: bolas or boleadoras (three leather bound rocks tied with long leather straps), a facón (large knife), a cup for drinking yerba mate (a beverage made from the leaves of the yerba tree, a type of holly rich in caffeine and nutrients) and tabas, bones for playing games. The typical gaucho outfit includes a poncho (which doubled as saddle blanket and sleeping gear), loose-fitting trousers called bombachas, belted with a tirador, or a chiripá, and a loincloth.
The Four of Bolas has more information →

Above: Naipes Argentinos para Truco "Falta Envido" created by Alberto Soifer and printed by Adans S.A., Buenos Aires, 1982. 40 cards, with Gauchesque courts and non-standard suit symbols. Packs with advertising on the reverse are also known.

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

Never Mind the Belote
Limited edition Belote pack with designs by a collective of 24 street artists.

Playing card designs by Franz Exler
Reconstruction of playing cards from the original 1903 designs.

MITSCHKAtzen
Clever cat designs by the Austrian artist and illustrator Willi Mitschka.

22 Pittori in 22 Arcani
Collaborative Tarot with contributions from 22 different Italian artists including Menegazzi and Tav...

Whist by Ditha Moser
Ditha Moser created this minimalist Whist deck in 1905, in the style of the Vienna Secession art mov...

Keith Haring playing cards
Energetic graffiti images by the American artist Keith Haring.

Jockey Club de Buenos Aires
Spanish-suited pack by Chas Goodall & Son Ltd for the Jockey Club, Buenos Aires.

Mexican ethnic playing cards
Mexican ethnic groups depicted on playing cards by Fábrica de Naipes Cuauhtemoc.

Seminole Wars deck
Seminole Wars deck by J. Y. Humphreys, Philadelphia, c.1819.

Carte di Natale
Designed by Pier Canosa as a Christmas pack for the Cortina Art Gallery in Milan.

Queen of Arts
A wide variety of women artists celebrated on cards with illustrations by Laura Callaghan.

Fredericks & Mae playing cards
A rainbow pack from the design team of Fredericks & Mae and Benjamin English.

Pam is the Knave of Clubs
Playing cards as metaphors in 18th century art - from fate, chance and social hierarchy t...

Leadmill playing cards
Promotional pack for an arts centre in Sheffield with designs by Martin F. Bedford.

Ubo cards
Traditional Ubo cards from the Philippines made from tree bark.

Typographic Playing Cards
Typographic Playing Cards designed by Jim Sutherland, c.2010.
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 28 days