Cerveza ‘El Gallo’
Advertising pack for Cerveza ‘El Gallo’ made in Belgium, c.1880.
Advertising pack for Cerveza ‘El Gallo’ made in Belgium, c.1880.
Advertising pack for Cerveza ‘El Gallo’, probably made in Belgium, c.1880. The designs are closely copied from others made in Barcelona around the same period, but the inscriptions on the cards are vague and incomplete, testifying to their anonymous manufacture. The cards are colourfully hand-painted using stencils, and the cups symbols are attractively adorned with goats' heads. The four of cups carries the lying lion motif, a favourite amongst the Belgian manufacturers, but the inscription on the banderole is incomplete. The reverse of the cards carry an advertisement for Deutsches Export Lagerbier "El Gallo" whose agents in South America are given as Galli y Cia (Montevideo) and Galli Hermanos (Buenos Aires).


Above: Advertising pack for Cerveza El Gallo, made in Belgium, c.1880.

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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