Romania playing cards
Romanian voivodes and their wives from the 15th and 16th centuries.
Voivode is a title of Slavic origin indicating a military leader or warlord. The name was used to refer to the medieval rulers of Romanian-inhabited states such as Wallachia, Moldavia and Transylvania. Famous voivodes include Michael the Brave (KS) and Vlad the Impaler (KH). On the reverse is the seal of Michael the Brave during his short-lived personal union of Wallachia, Moldavia and Transylvania in 1599-1600. It states on the box lid that the characters depicted are Romanian voivodes of the “14th and 15th Century” but they are in fact from the 15th and 16th centuries. Piatnik No. 217548.
Above: Romania playing cards made by Piatnik, Vienna, Austria, 2000. 2 x 52 cards + 3 Jokers in drop-lid box; two matching backs. Size: 58 x 89 mm.
It states on the box lid that the characters depicted are Romanian voivodes of the “14th and 15th Century” but they are in fact from the 15th and 16th centuries. • See the box►
By Roddy Somerville
Member since May 31, 2022
Roddy started collecting stamps on his 8th birthday. In 1977 he joined the newly formed playing-card department at Stanley Gibbons in London before setting up his own business in Edinburgh four years later. His collecting interests include playing cards, postcards, stamps (especially playing cards on stamps) and sugar wrappers. He is a Past President of the Scottish Philatelic Society, a former Chairman of the IPCS, a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards and Curator of the WCMPC’s collection of playing cards. He lives near Toulouse in France.
Related Articles
Luditz Pattern by Georg Geiselreiter
The discovery of 2024 changes the current state of knowledge of the history of this pattern.
Polish Kings and Queens – red deck
Polish kings and queens plus the court jester, illustrated in a distinctive style inspired by histor...
Ukraine playing cards
Historical figures from Ukraine’s past in a familiar Piatnik style.
MITSCHKAtzen
Clever cat designs by the Austrian artist and illustrator Willi Mitschka.
Tarock Cards by NIL Spielkartenfabrik
A deck of tarock cards from the eastern end of the ending Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Baraja de Juan Martín Zamorano
Deck inspired by El Pendón de los Zamorano, a military pennant dating from 1501, published by Priego...
Whist by Ditha Moser
Ditha Moser created this minimalist Whist deck in 1905, in the style of the Vienna Secession art mov...
Jeu Numismatique
European coins of all periods replace the traditional courts and pips.
Gabriel Uffenheimer
Rare example of the production of Johann Gabriel Uffenheimer, Guntramsdorf, 1825.
Play Architecture
Twentieth century architects and their creations on a well-designed pack from Finland.
Art pack I
Art pack featuring Old Masters, including Bruegel, Vermeer, Titian, Raphael, Caravaggio, Canaletto, ...
Gibson’s History of England
History without tears for young and old, 1920s.
Historical Characters
Double-ended deck with historical characters and jacks as jesters by Daveluy, c.1850.
Karl Korab
Austrian artist Karl Korab’s first pack, displaying his use of different techniques.
Johann Nejedly Tarok Cards
Johann Nejedly, a 19th-century Viennese card maker, produced Tarock cards featuring modern scenes th...
Austria Ski Team playing cards
Photos of members of the Austrian skiing team replace the normal courts on two different packs.
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 28 days
