West Flanders Souvenir
West Flanders Souvenir pack manufactured in Belgium by Mesmaekers, c.1950.
West Flanders Souvenir pack in the Belgian pattern manufactured by Mesmaekers, c.1950. The Mesmaekers company was taken over by Van Genechten in 1968. The “Little Joker” was subsequently adopted by Carta Mundi as their standard joker when Fabrique Brepols, Van Genechten and Léonard Biermans were in turn merged to become Carta Mundi in 1970.
Above: West Flanders Souvenir pack manufactured in Belgium by Mesmaekers, c.1950. 52 cards + 2 jokers + contract bridge score table in box.
Other advertising decks
Above: publicity deck for 'Barco' radios (French/Belgian) which was founded in 1934. Image courtesy Nic Davies.
By Simon Wintle
Member since February 01, 1996
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.
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