Salzburg Souvenir
A souvenir pack with just one view – on the back!
Sometimes souvenir packs can be disappointing. This one falls into that category. The court cards, which are pleasing enough in terms of the colours, are the same in each suit – figures in medieval costume. Is this a generic design, i.e., was it used for other souvenir packs? The style of the courts and of the framelines round them is reminiscent of some Piatnik packs. The Jack of Diamonds shown on the back of the box does feature the arms of Salzburg but this Jack is not exactly the same as the one used in the pack itself. The front of the box reproduces the back design, with a general view of Salzburg and Herr Mozart with a few notes of music in the foreground. The cards were almost certainly printed in China. See the box►
Above: Salzburg souvenir playing cards published by Risch-Lau GmbH, Austria, c.2015. Maker unknown. 52 cards + 2 Jokers in tuck box with a display tab. Size: 58 x 88 mm.
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
Gigerl-Tarock by Joseph Glanz
Urban Dandy caricature deck from 19th century Vienna designed by Julius Berndl.
Prague Heraldic Poker Cards
Heraldic souvenir playing cards infused with Czech national and historical symbolism.
Patience by Joseph Glanz
A refined and distinctly European Patience pack by Joseph Glanz from Austria.
Burghausen
Historical figures and buildings to promote the town of Burghausen, with designs by Jonny Petri.
Tarock Nr. 71 by Ferd. Piatnik & Söhne
Special tarock deck for the Tyrolean game Droggn.
Animal Tarock by J. G. Pichler
Baroque tarock cards from the late 18th century.
Luditz Pattern by Georg Geiselreiter
The discovery of 2024 changes the current state of knowledge of the history of this pattern.
Sannois dans les étoiles
Celebrities and buildings associated with Sannois, a commune in the suburbs of Paris.
Ukraine playing cards
Historical figures from Ukraine’s past in a familiar Piatnik style.
Visite Mexico
Promoting Mexican tourism with 54 different photographs in full colour.
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...
Gabriel Uffenheimer
Rare example of the production of Johann Gabriel Uffenheimer, Guntramsdorf, 1825.
The Glasgow Pack
Issued to celebrate Glasgow’s reign as European City of Culture in 1990, with city views and works o...
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 28 days
