List of Argentinian Playing Card Manufacturers

Published March 09, 1998 • Updated September 12, 2024

List of Argentinian Playing Card Manufacturers from the 19th and 20th centuries.

LIST OF ARGENTINIAN PLAYING CARD MANUFACTURERS
from the 19^th and 20^th Centuries

Manufacturer / Fabricante Address / Dirección	Approx datespan Fecha aprox.
M.J. Gandarillas y Socios Manzana 48, n°395, Buenos Aires	1815-1817
José Maria Quercia y Possi Buenos Aires	1815-16
Fray Solano García Concepción del Uruguay, Entre Rios	1816
Eugenio Molina Buenos Aires	1818-??
Eugenio Balbastro Calle del Retiro, Buenos Aires	1819-??
Carlos Varangot Buenos Aires	1831
Carlos Minetto & Cia Buenos Aires	c.1880-1890
M. Girbano	1890-1900
Francisco Girbau & Cia Piedad 2260 & Cangallo 2686, Bs.As.	1890-1930
J.F. Sánchez	c.1890-95
Martin Sanchez y Cia Bahia-Blanca	c.1900
La Primitiva, Fabrica de Naipes Moreno 248, Bs Aires Victoria 3179, Bs As. Defensa 125, Bs. As.	1878- c.1920
Cia General de Fósforos California 1270, Bs.As.	1889-1929

Cia Gral Fabril Financiera (formerly Cia Gral Fósforos) Iriarte 2035, Bs.As. Also: California 2098, Bs.As.	1929-c.1975 c.1975-77
F.X. Schmid Argentina Aristóbulo del Valle 1257, C.P. 1295, Bs.As.	c.1975-1980
Joker S.A.I.C. (formerly distributors, successors to B. Domec, early cards made by F.X.Schmid) Formerly: Tacaurí 127, Bs.As., also Perú 420, 3er Piso, Bs. As. Now: Chorroarín 1068, Bs.As.	1977-present
Alvarez Holmberg y Cia Senillosa 157, Bs.As.	c.1950-1970

Fourvel, Luis A. & Cia Independencia 3742, Bs.As.	c.1930-1960
Partido Peronista (Dupuy) Viamonte 2534, Bs.As.	1951
Conrado & Carlos Camilloni Planes 1048-50, Bs.As.	c.1940-1950

Flaiban & Camilloni Lda Victoria 3228-3252, Bs.As.	1936-42
E. Flaiban S.R.L. Alberti 282, Bs. As. Esperanza 646-50, Bs. As. Administración, Depósito y Ventas: Corrientes 3679, Bs. As.	1943-1952
Paisanito S.R.L (Sucesores de E. Flaiban S.R.L.) Esperanza 646-50, Bs. As. Rio Limay 1527-29, Bs. As.	1952-3
E. Flaiban S.A.C.I. Fábrica: Santa Rosa 4061, Florida F.C.G.B. Ventas: Venezuela 1949 & 1949/55, Bs. As. Administración y Ventas: Mario Bravo 525-9	1952-1970
Franco, E. P. Emilio Mitre 382 / Planes 1048-50, Bs.As.	1942-1955
Chemmes, Eduardo Antonio Olazabal 1473-75, Bs.As.	1950-1960
Bedaumine Hnos Cnel Niceto Vega 5577, Bs.As.	c.1950-1960
Mario Colombo Rodriguez Peña, Bs.As.	1940-c.1970
Della Penna, Carlos Rondeau 3241 & Rondeau 3225, Bs.As.	c.1940-1978
G. Berger Calle Alsina 373, Bs As	1935-195?
Casa Escasany Casilla Correos 116, Bs.As.	1930s-40s
Apeles S.A. Crespo 2759, Bs.As.	1950s
Nascal S.R.L. Paisandu 760, Bs.As.	c.1960-80
Cappellano Hnos Sarmiento 1537, Bs.As. Orestes A. Cappellano, S.R.L. Sarmiento 1537-43, Bs. As. Orestes A Cappellano de Jorge C. Oneto Florencio Varela 542, Villa Martelli, Bs.As. Cappellano S.A. Florencio Varela 542, Villa Martelli, Bs. As.	c.1920-35 c.1935-60 c.1960-65 c.1965-85
Editorial Kier	1960-1980
Justo Rodero Rio de Janeiro 935, Bs.As. Justo Rodero e Hijos S.R.L. Av. Angel Gallardo 136/40, Bs.As. Fabrica: Rio de Janeiro 935, Bs.As. Justo Rodero e Hijos S.A.I.C. Fabrica: Rio de Janeiro 935, Bs.As. Ventas: Av. Fco Beiro 3855-59 Also: Av. Dorrego 611-23, Bs.As., C.P. 1414 Now: Casino Justo Rodero e Hijos S.A.I.C.	c.1930-69 1970-1972 1973-1979 1979-present
Naipes La Banca	c.1975-1985
Naipes Castilla	c.1980-1985
Offset Sacerdoti, S.A. Mario Bravo 933, Bs. As	1941 - present
Obsequios Empresarios Argentinos Avda Belgrano 124, 3er piso, Bs.As.	1965-present
Juegos Victoria (Jugetes Royal)	c.1965-75
Adans S.A. (Artes Gráficas) Acevedo 320, Bs.As.	1982
Editorial Gráfica Flores Buenos Aires	c.1975-90
Igor L. M. Domicelj Tejedor 256, Buenos Aires	c.1945-55

Fabrica de Naipes VIGOR S.R.L. (formerly Igor L. M. Domicelj) Tejedor 256, Bs.As. Tejedor 244-56, Bs.As.	1955-c.1975
Virgo S.C.A. San Pedro 5770, Bs.As.	c.1975-80
Gráfica 2001 - Naipes La Española Fantasio (formerly Vigor S.A.) Lavalle 2001, V. Maipú, San Martin.	1998-present
Plastigal Juegos S.R.L. (distributors for Gráfica 2001) Pasaje Talavera 5845, Bs.As.	1999-2001
Anonymous manufacturers or brands	1940s onwards
Arlequin	1970s
Clark's	1970s
Cromg S.A.	1970s
Cromy S.A.	1983-95
Difusora S.A.	1980s
Impresores S.C.A.	c.1975-present
Argenar	1980s
Taller 4	c.2000
Kolorit	1998
Asociart	c.2000
Gráfica S.A.	c.1960-1998
Distigráfica S.R.L. Pasteur 313, 1er piso, of. "A", Buenos Aires	1997-2005
Promo Games	1998-2007
Arco Iris Producciónes Gráficas Av. Diaz Velez 986 - Villa Sarmiento, Bs.As.	1999
Editorial Perfil Chacabuco 271, Código Postal 1069, Bs As	1999-2000
Plastirama Co. Buenos Aires
Artes Gráficas Reywal S.R.L. P. Medrano 1257, Los Polvorines, Bs. As	1989 - present
El Tripero (imprenta)	1998
Bahía Graf (imprenta)	??-present
Industrias Gráficas Pesout S.A. Chaco 2265, Valentín Alsina, Lanús, Buenos Aires	c.1990-present
Feroleto (Los Remos)	2002-??
Zecat	1994-present
Ministerio de Salud de la Nación (Ministry of Health)	1992-present

IMPORTERS

Since the end of the monopoly of the Real Fábrica de Naipes de Macharaviaya (Spain) in 1815, there have been a number of importing agents, as well as manufacturers from other countries, who have imported playing cards into Latin America. Cardmakers in the U.S.A. for instance (particularly Dougherty and the U.S.P.C.Co) have tended to care for their minority populations, particularly the Latin-American ones. Belgian cardmakers have exported cards to South America since the mid-19th century; these had a distinctive style of their own. Above: No.35 Squeezers imported into Argentina by Bertrand Domec, whose details are overprinted on the Ace of Hearts, c.1927. Bertrand Domec had a long-standing relationship with the NYCCC and was their exclusive agent in the River Plate region. Italian, German and French card makers are also known to have manufactured Spanish type packs. Versions of the Spanish Catalan pattern are found today in Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Paraguay, Honduras, Uruguay, Venezuela and Peru, whilst the 19th century Cádiz style is found today in Peru, El Salvador and Mexico. The "Castilian" pattern is found in Mexico, Chile, Argentina and El Salvador. Uruguay and Colombia also use the distinctive "Parisian Spanish" pattern.
Importer / Importador	Approx datespan
W. Kulka & Quinn, Buenos Aires	1860s
Fló Hnos. y Cía, Córdoba 963/987, Rosario	1901-??
Carlos G Balcarce, Buenos Aires	1903
Flo. Ries & Cia, Belgrano 1832, Buenos Aires	c.1910-20
Casa Jacobo Peuser Ltda, San Martin 200, Buenos Aires	1867-1950s
Julio Laje, Aconquija 2981, Buenos Aires	1930-1960
Pedro Desparbez Buen Orden 263, Buenos Aires	c.1900-1903
B. Domec (Sucesor de Pedro Desparbez) Buen Orden 263, Buenos Aires	1904-
Bertrand Domec (Importador) B. de Irigoyen 263, Buenos Aires	c.1906-1926
Casa Bertrand Domec (Importadora) Bernardo de Irigoyen 223, Buenos Aires	1926-1930
Casa Bertrand Domec de F. Fernández y J. Fagoaga (Sucesores) B de Irigoyen 223	1930-35
Casa Bertrand Domec de Fagoaga y Fernández (Sucesores) Tacaurí 127	1935-45
Casa Bertrand Domec de Fagoaga y Fernández Tacaurí 127	1945-50
Casa Bertrand Domec de Fagoaga y Compañia (Sucesores) Tacaurí 127 - taken over by Joker S.A. (see above)?	1950-70
Vicente y Mateos Avda de Mayo 1248	c.1955-65
Gath & Chaves (Bs Aires)	c.1920-30
Harrods (Bs Aires) Ltd Florida 877	c.1930-50
Szulansky Hnos Tucuman 2423, Bs. As.	c.1960-65
Ricardo Sopena Corrientes 920, Buenos Aires Maipú 30, Buenos Aires	c.1930
A. Di Bacco Importador Paraguay 1525, Bs. As	c.1930s
Donnell & Palmer U.S.A.	c.1920
Palmer & Cia (Sucesor de Donnell & Palmer) Importador U.S.A.	c.1930
Pedro L. Carrera - Importador	c.1950
Eusebio Aparicio - Cooperativa Telefónica	c.1940
Above: The agent Bertrand Domec, whose fortunes can be followed through the changes of company name and address, was the exclusive agent of The New York Consolidated Card Company, U.S.A. Brands such as "Squeezers", "Bee-92" and "Congress" were used in Argentina. Records from the Cádiz chamber of commerce confirm that 15,420 packs of cards were exported from Cádiz to Argentina in 1908; 5,860 packs in 1910 and 2,720 packs in 1937. Greater quantities than this were exported to Mexico, the Canary Isles, Cuba, Chile and the Philippines [source: Pérez González, 1995].
Comas y Ricart, Sebastian, Barcelona	c.1890-1930s
Chas. Goodall & Son Ltd, London	1860s-1920
John Waddington Ltd, Leeds & London	1940s
A. Dougherty, New York	1840-1920s
Consolidated Dougherty Card Co Inc., New York	1920-1940
E.E. Fairchild Corp., Rochester, N.Y.	1930s
The N.Y. Consolidated Card Co.	c.1910-1930
U.S.P.C.C.	c.1890-1990
Hija de B. Fournier, Burgos, Spain	c.1900-1978
H. Fournier, Vitoria, Spain	1940-2000
Biermans, Turnhout, Belgium	1870s-1930s
Brepols, Turnhout	1850s-??
Glénisson & Van Genechten, Turnhout	1860-??
Brepols & Dierckx, Turnhout	1890s
Piatnik, Vienna, Austria	1950-1980
Müller & Co, Schaffhouse, Switzerland	c.1850-1998
C.L.Wüst, Frankfurt	c.1910
B. Dondorf, Frankfurt am Main	c.1920s
A.S.S., Altenberg	1960-70
F.X. Schmid, Münich	c.1970-85
Anonymous, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, India	c.1980-present

1,475 Articles

By Simon Wintle

Member since February 01, 1996

View Articles Contact Simon Wintle

Founder and editor of the World of Playing Cards since 1996. He is a former committee member of the IPCS and was graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal for many years. He has lived at various times in Chile, England and Wales and is currently living in Extremadura, Spain. Simon's first limited edition pack of playing cards was a replica of a seventeenth century traditional English pack, which he produced from woodblocks and stencils.

1980