Archives
2012 • December
Komaru 小丸
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by Anthony Lee
The usual composition appears to be a series of pips from 1-9, and a court card repeated 4 times. Some of the pips are decorated with silver overprints.
Birma Karte or Englische Karten
Based upon older ‘standard’ patterns, the Kings and Queens are three-quarter length figures whilst the Jacks are full-length with legs giving the impression that they are walking about!
Medicaer Spielkarte No.272
The deck has Italian indices (A, R, D, F) and was probably produced for the Italian market. The four scenic Aces are double-ended and illustrate buildings relevant to the history of the Medici dynasty.
Pickwick
A series of fifty-five original designs (including frontispiece, back and Joker) for a Pickwick pack of playing cards, in which are introduced all the principal & many of the minor characters figuring in the great humorous classic.
Japanese Kurofuda 黑札
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by Anthony Lee
The name means “Black cards”, which is especially true of you look at the suit of batons. The horse's legs can be recognised on the Cavaliers.
Akahachi
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by Anthony Lee
After Mekuri games such as Unsun Karuta and Tenshô Karuta were banned by the authorities, especially if played with foreign cards, their appearance was disguised.
Ceska Graficka Unie AS
Playing Cards printed by Ceska Graficka Unie AS, Prague, Czechoslovakia, 1890-1925.
Jass Allemand
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by Simon Wintle
Egbert Moehsnang produced this contemporary Swiss-suited, double-ended pack, based on original XV century sources, but they were shunned by card players.
Casino
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by Simon Wintle
“Casino” pack made by J. Müller & Cie & Cie, Schaffhouse. The pack was probably designed by Josef Maria Melchior Annen (1868-1954) who also designed several other packs for Müller & Cie.
Rococco
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by Simon Wintle
Designed by Josef Maria Melchior Annen (1868-1954) who also designed several other packs for Müller & Cie.
Whot
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by Simon Wintle
Whot was invented by William Henry Storey in 1935. It comes from the days when friends and family played indoor games by the fireside.
Egbert Moehsnang
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by Simon Wintle
The suit signs and indices are clear and easily recognisable, and each suit has a different predominant colour. The juxtaposition of traditional craft techniques with abstract modern design could be seen as postmodern.
Ormond Printing Co. Ltd
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by Simon Wintle
During the 1930s The Ormond Printing Co. Ltd produced playing cards for the Irish market with a distinctive ace of spades, joker and court cards. In 1935 the firm was acquired as a manufacturing facility for Waddington’s cards in Eire.
Zodiac Bridge
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by Simon Wintle
Zodiac Bridge was designed by René Marcel Rivière and printed by AGM Müller in c.1989. A different sign of the zodiac appears on the clothing of each court card figure.
Anti-Religions
Clubs represent the Russian Orthodox church, Hearts Roman Catholicism, Spades Confucianism and Diamonds represent Judaism.
Basler Fasnachts-Karten
The Basler Fasnachts deck is designed each year by a different local artist.