Joker S.A.
Playing cards manufactured by Joker S.A.
Playing card manufacturer JOKER S.A.I.C., Chorroarín 1068, Villa Ortuzar, Buenos Aires, c.1977-present.
Joker S.A.I.C. was first established in around 1977 as exclusive distributing agents to Cía General Fabril Financiera S.A. at the address Tacauri 127. The earliest logo was a curved outline of the letter 'j' as shown below. Joker S.A. soon became an independent playing-card publisher and took over Cia Fabril Financiera’s interests.
Sometime around 1983 a new logo was designed, as shown at the top of this page. Perhaps the intention was to appear similar to Cromy who in 1983 entered the card games market in competition to Joker S.A. The business address also changed to Chorroarín 1068.
Joker S.A.I.C. produce a range including children's card games, tarot cards and advertising decks, alongside their standard Spanish-suited and Anglo-American playing cards.
Above: in c.1977 Joker S.A. became the exclusive distributing agents for playing cards manufactured by Cía Fabril Financiera, with a new logo based on the letter 'j'. Their address was usually given as Tacauri 127, which was the former address of Bertrand Domec. However, for a short period the address was given on the box as Perú 420, 3er piso, Buenos Aires.
Above: four of cups and the new joker design which was copied from Fournier. The 'Victoria' brand name had been inherited from Cía Gral Fabril Financiera, but was soon dropped. Thereafter the name 'Joker' was used instead. The address on the four of cups is Tacauri 127 but this changed to Chorroarín 1068 in the early 1980s. (Click images to see more).
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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