Naipes Guarany, c.1940

Naipes Poker Guarany was one of Della Penna's leading brands of Anglo-American type playing cards and was produced in successive editions until the company was taken over in 1978. The court cards are based on the designs of De la Rue. The Joker and ace of spades show the Indian with bow-and-arrow motif. This early example shows the company name as C. Della Penna & Cía, before it became C. Della Penna S.A.C.I.

Above: cards from Naipes Guarany decks, with red or blue backs. The company name of C. Della Penna & Cía and the green "Mercury" tax stamp on the ace of hearts suggests a date of c.1935-40. This particular deck was used in the Club del Progreso (the oldest existing club in Buenos Aires) and has their stamp on the ace of hearts.