King Christian of Denmark
In 1935 a souvenir pack of playing cards to celebrate the King's 65th birthday was commissioned from the British firm of De La Rue.
Non-Standard packs for King Christian of Denmark by De La Rue
In 1935 a souvenir pack of playing cards to celebrate the King's 65th birthday was commissioned from the British firm of De La Rue. The packs are very elaborate with full gold edges and come in a red padded box; the intricate designs depicting people from the middle ages contain elements of Danish heraldry. Two years later, in 1937, the cards were reissued to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of the King's reign as a double pack in a similar box. The back design of the 65th birthday anniversary pack shows the King in official regalia while the silver jubilee packs have portraits of the King on one and Queen Alexandrine on the other.
Above: De La Rue playing cards commemorating King Christian X and Queen Alexandrine. The packs were also issued with a plain chequered back as Warburg’s L’Hombre-Kort. Alf Cooke was also manufacturing playing cards for Denmark, Iceland and Romania around this time, when German manufacturer Dondorf had closed.
See: Wintle, Simon & Jensen, K. Frank: Non-Standard De La Rue Packs for King Christian X of Denmark in "The Playing Card" Vol.34 no.1, July-Sept 2005, IPCS, England
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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