Les Grands Ecrivains

Published March 16, 2023 Updated March 16, 2023

‘Les Grands Ecrivains’ produced for members of “Le Grand Livre du Mois”, France, c. 1970.

1970 France Brepols Cartamundi J.P. Djivanides Literature

This pack was produced by Brepols and Carta Mundi exclusively for members of “Le Grand Livre du Mois”. This is a French book club created in 1950 in its initial version by Claude Tchou , who ran it until 1958, under the title "Club du livre du mois". The current formula under the name Le Grand Livre du Mois has existed since 1977. It is the only French literary news club offering 700 new titles each year, as soon as they appear in bookstores.

The aces feature residences formerly occupied by La Fontaine (clubs), Victor Hugo (hearts), Voltaire (spades) and Balzac (diamonds). The court cards depict 12 major French novelists, illustrated by J.P. Djivanides. There are 2 jokers and two additional cards: a bridge scoring card and a card announcing the pack referencing both Brepols Paris and Carta Mundi, which suggests the cards were made c.1970 at or about the time Carta Mundi was formed as a joint venture of Biermans, Brepols and Van Genechten.

‘Les Grands Ecrivains’ produced for members of “Le Grand Livre du Mois”, France, c. 1970 ‘Les Grands Ecrivains’ produced for members of “Le Grand Livre du Mois”, France, c. 1970 ‘Les Grands Ecrivains’ produced for members of “Le Grand Livre du Mois”, France, c. 1970

Above: ‘Les Grands Ecrivains’ produced for members of “Le Grand Livre du Mois”, France, c. 1970.

avatar
531 Articles

By Peter Burnett

Member since July 27, 2022

I graduated in Russian and East European Studies from Birmingham University in 1969. It was as an undergraduate in Moscow in 1968 that I stumbled upon my first 3 packs of “unusual” playing cards which fired my curiosity and thence my life-long interest. I began researching and collecting cards in the early 1970s, since when I’ve acquired over 3,330 packs of non-standard cards, mainly from North America, UK and Western Europe, and of course from Russia and the former communist countries.

Russian Playing Cards

Following my retirement from the Bodleian Library in Dec. 2007 I took up a new role as Head of Library Development at the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP) to support library development in low-income countries. This work necessitated regular training visits to many sub-Saharan African countries and also further afield, to Vietnam, Nepal and Bangladesh – all of which provided rich opportunities to further expand my playing card collection.

Since 2019 I’ve been working part-time in the Bodleian Library where I’ve been cataloguing the bequest of the late Donald Welsh, founder of the English Playing Card Society.

Related Articles

1992 Le Globe Céleste

Le Globe Céleste

Views and plans of five international exhibitions held in Paris between 1855 and 1900.

2022 Beowulf

Beowulf

Jackson Robinson's Beowulf playing card deck inspired by the Old English pagan poem.

1999 Le Journal de Mickey

Le Journal de Mickey

Perforated sheet of cards with Disney characters issued with the magazine Le Journal de Mickey.

1897 Tarot hiéroglyphique égyptien

Tarot hiéroglyphique égyptien

The design of the cards draws inspiration from various religious and philosophical traditions merged...

2024 La Réussite (Sébastien Féraut)

La Réussite (Sébastien Féraut)

Sébastien Féraut’s designs inspired by the animal kingdom for a set promoting patience games.

2011 2011 Worshipful Company Pack

2011 Worshipful Company Pack

Celebrating the bicentenary of the birth of Charles Dickens, with characters adapted from drawings b...

2021 Le Tarot de Sète

Le Tarot de Sète

Reinterpretation of the Tarot de Marseille by Julien Labat, an artist from Sète.

2022 Oracle Rock

Oracle Rock

Cartomantic set depicting rock and pop stars, designed by La Rata, with a book by Virginie Despentes...

1994 Jeu Numismatique

Jeu Numismatique

European coins of all periods replace the traditional courts and pips.

1990 Jeu Philatélique

Jeu Philatélique

Cards with French postage stamps featuring famous literary figures.

1990 Tarot Philatélique

Tarot Philatélique

Tarot game pack with French postage stamps on all the courts, aces and trumps.

1945 Jeu Philatélique – Les Colonies Françaises

Jeu Philatélique – Les Colonies Françaises

Philatelic card game featuring real postage stamps from the French colonies.

1983 Barok

Barok

Dutch pack from the 1950s with colourful Baroque courts, reprinted in 1983.

1984 Tarot Actuel 1984

Tarot Actuel 1984

Major arcana to cut out, issued with the French magazine Actuel, using photographic images.

1990 The Glasgow Pack

The Glasgow Pack

Issued to celebrate Glasgow’s reign as European City of Culture in 1990, with city views and works o...

1865 Spanish pattern by Eugène Boisse

Spanish pattern by Eugène Boisse

Spanish pattern published by Eugène Boisse, Bordeaux.