Luis A. Fourvel

Published July 03, 1996 • Updated June 12, 2023

The Fourvel family was of French origin but had settled in Spain during the XIX century. In the 1930s Luis Fourvel went to Argentina and established a printing business which flourished until the early 60s.

The Fourvel family was of French origin but had settled in Spain during the XIX century. In the 1930s Luis Fourvel went to Argentina and established a printing business in Buenos Aires which flourished there until the mid 1960s. Fourvel's main brand name was ‘Naipes Side Car’ and this was used for Spanish, English and Belgian-style packs.

Naipes Side Car Spanish-Suited

Above: sealed pack in paper wrapper with brown 50 centavos tax band [Decreto 18.235] and green 'Mercury' duty stamp on the four of cups, Spanish-suited ‘Naipes Side Car’, Luis A. Fourvel y Cía, Buenos Aires, c.1944. The back design includes a small motorcycle, which also appears on the wrapper and four of cups.

Above: sealed pack in paper wrapper with brown 50 centavos tax band [Decreto 18.235] and green 'Mercury' duty stamp on the four of cups, ‘Naipes Side Car’, Luis A. Fourvel y Cía, Buenos Aires, c.1948. The back design has been redrawn and an overstamp on the four of cups reads: "Garantizamos Cartulina Inglesa". It is not known exactly when Fourvel was sourcing English cardboard, but supplies would have been restricted during the war period more →

Naipes Side Car English Style

Above: ‘Side-Car’ playing cards manufactured by Luis A. Fourvel y Cía, Buenos Aires, came in various back designs and more than one box design. The motorcycle & sidecar motifs are conspicious. Packs often state they were produced using English cardboard, but supplies would have been restricted during the war period. The outer wrappers usually have a blue or orange 1 Peso tax band referring to Decree 18,235 [1944-1964].

Side Car

Luis A. Fourvel y Cía manufactured cards under the brand name ‘Side Car’. This was perhaps an allusion to USPCC's Bicycle brand. In the Spanish version a motorcycle and sidecar motif was used, but the standard Anglo-American version (‘Side-Car’) used the same name, but the motorcycle Joker motif was a redrawing of Goodall's Joker.

These two versions of the ‘Side Car’ motif can be found on Jokers, backs, wrappers, boxes and the Ace of Spades.

A Belgian/Genoese version of ‘Side Car’ was also produced, probably for casino use. Advertising and non-standard packs also started appearing in the 1950s.

REFERENCES

Marotta, Florencia: Sellados e Impuestos en Naipes Argentinos, Buenos Aires, 2007

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By Simon Wintle

Member since February 01, 1996

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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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