SOIMCA
SOIMCA - Sociedade Impressora Caxiense - is an important playing card manufacturer in Brazil. It was established by Nelson Soares in Caxias do Sul, in the south of Brazil, by 1955.
Sociedade Impressora Caxiense
Rua Moreira Cesar, 1666, Caxias do Sul - Baralhos Pingüim

SOIMCA (Sociedade Impressora Caxiense) is an important playing card manufacturer in Brazil. It was established by Nelson Soares in Caxias do Sul, in the south of Brazil, by 1955. Its “Pingüim” brand is very popular. In 1993 SOIMCA asked the artist Gertre to design a new Spanish-suited pack, inspired on the Castilian pattern; they tried to introduce these into players’ circles but they were not well received. The designs were traded with COPAG and nowadays are used by COPAG as its Spanish-style cards for exportation. In 1999 SOIMCA jointed forces with COPAG, transferring its machines to Manaus.
Above: new Spanish-suited playing cards designed by Gertre in 1993, 48 cards, published by SOIMCA. The designs were not well received by card players.



Above: different editions of SOIMCA's traditional standard Spanish-suited playing cards, “Baralho Tipo Espanhol”, Catalan pattern, with female horse-rider on the Four of Cups.

Above: “Pingüim” brand Anglo-American type playing cards with advertising reverse for Chevrolet / General Motors, 1983. The trade mark penguin Joker has been used, along with the internationally accepted copy of Fournier's large index Anglo-American courts.

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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