VELCAP c.1940s
Naipes VELCAP playing cards by Orestes A. Cappellano, playing card manufacturers, Buenos Aires, Argentina, c.1940s
Naipes VELCAP
playing cards by Orestes A. Cappellano, publishers and playing card manufacturers, Sarmiento 1537-43, Bs Aires, c.1940s
Around the early 1940s, Cappellano's playing cards were distributed by their agents Somafico S.R.L., whose details appear on the Ace of Spades, extra card, joker and box in this example. Somafico's capital is stated as $100,000 and Cappellano's address is given as Sarmiento 1537-1543. Orestes A. Cappellano were also book publishers. Over the years the company underwent several changes of name and address. It is by studying these changes that some sort of history of the company has been reconstructed in the following pages.
VELCAP playing cards, c.1944
Above: VELCAP playing cards, c.1944.
Right: 1 Peso blue tax band, normally used on imported decks, was occasionally used on home-manufactured ones, as in this case. In conjunction with the earlier version of the "Mercury" tax stamp on the Ace of Hearts, the date can be narrowed down to around 1944.
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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