Estonian Ethnographic Playing Cards
Estonian national costumes and everyday items feature on this pack made in Estonia.
Estonian national costumes, patterns, household items and common tools feature on this pack made in Estonia for Vprojekt, Tallinn, Estonia, c.2005 (or earlier). The court cards depict men, women, maids and boys in various traditional costumes from around Estonia. Different patterns (apron, belt, etc.) are shown on the Aces. The central pips on the numeral cards have been replaced by the appropriate number of household items or tools in black or red (same designs in each suit). Indices K, E, S, Ä. All card titles are in English. Jokers replaced by “BUCK”s. See the box►
Above: Estonian Ethnographic Playing Cards c.2005. 52 cards + 2 “BUCK” cards + 1 title card in a tuck box with text in English on the sides. On poor-quality, see-through board. Purchased in Tallinn, Estonia, April 2005.
By Roddy Somerville
Member since May 31, 2022
Roddy started collecting stamps on his 8th birthday. In 1977 he joined the newly formed playing-card department at Stanley Gibbons in London before setting up his own business in Edinburgh four years later. His collecting interests include playing cards, postcards, stamps (especially playing cards on stamps) and sugar wrappers. He is a Past President of the Scottish Philatelic Society, a former Chairman of the IPCS, a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards and Curator of the WCMPC’s collection of playing cards. He lives near Toulouse in France.
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