Archives
2024 • February
Le jeu des 7 Familles ’Utuafare
Colourful Happy Families game from Tahiti depicting costumes from different archipelagoes.
Le Carte di Forattini
Political caricatures by Giorgio Forattini published by Arnoldo Mondadori Editore, Italy, 1993.
Past Masters’ Association Presentation Pack
The Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards Past Masters’ Association Presentation Pack, 2013.
San Paolo Chekhov
Characters from Chekhov’s plays designed by Paolo Fresu for San Paolo Istituto Bancario, Italy, c.1983.
The Search for New Games in the late 19th century
A few new games survived and are still around today; most came and went and are only witnessed in the literature by the equivalent of a vapour trail.
Impressionist Art Cards
Details of 13 paintings by 8 different Impressionist artists on elongated cards.
Jeu de la Vme
A political pack designed by Pino Zac and published in 1977 by Editions Arts et Lettres.
Postak – Las Postas
‘Postak - Las Postas’ playing cards commemorating the history of the Basque postal service, Spain, 1996.
Storia del Fascismo - gioco di carte
‘Storia del Fascismo’ playing cards depicting persons, symbols and artifacts associated with Italian fascism.
Miniature Card Dominoes
A miniature set of Goodall domino cards (5.9 x 3.5 cms) still in perfect condition.
Bischofszell
Advertising pack for the food producer Bischofszell, designed by Heinz Looser-Brenner, with non-standard suits.
Calon Arang • Калон Аранг - Бали
Calon Arang, a figure from 12th-century Javanese and Balinese folklore known as a witch skilled in black magic, is the subject of a preserved manuscript at the Royal Netherlands Institute. Калон Аранг • персонаж яванского и балийского фольклора, датируемого 12 веком. Традиция называет ее ведьмой, мастером черной магии. Неизвестно, кто сочинил эту историю, но рукопись текста Калон Аранга (написанная латинским алфавитом) хранится в Королевском нидерландском институте исследований Юго-Восточной Азии и Карибского бассейна.
Wedding of Krechinsky • Свадьба Кречинского
A pack of cards depicting characters from the famous play "The Wedding of Krechinsky" by Sukhovo-Kobylina. Колода содержит изображения персонажей известной пьесы Сухово-Кобылина "Свадьба Кречинского"
Scheffmacher
Advertising pack for Scheffmacher, master painters in Schaffhausen, with comic designs by Fritz Bünzli.
Hitchcock
A deck of 55 cards celebrating the master of mystery, murder and mayhem, Alfred Hitchcock.
Colour doodle deck
“1952-2002 commemorative deck” customised with doodles by an uncredited artist, UK, 2011.
Freimaurer Spielkarten / Masonic playing cards
Masonic playing cards created by Ivan Wojnikow, 2004.
I Gatti Originali di Evelyne Nicod
Etchings of cats on a set of major arcana created by Evelyne Nicod.
Politicards 2016 & Politikids 2016
Politicards™ 2016 & Politikids 2016: twin decks of satirical playing cards produced by Peter Green for the 2016 presidential election.
Knoll International
Geometric designs by the French artist Jean Garçon for Knoll International, the furniture company.
Carte Osteologiche
Skulls and bones of all descriptions have become the suits and pips in this 40-card pack from Italy.
Marcello Morandini
Modern designs by Italian artist Marcello Morandini using the simplest of forms and colours.
Cartes à Jouer Fluorescentes
Standard French cards but printed with fluorescent inks on a black background.
Tuxedo playing cards
Stylish ‘Tuxedo’ playing cards with animal faces created by Natalia Silva, USA, 2016.
The Deck of Hillary
‘The Deck of Hillary’ with quotes and photographs of Hillary Clinton, USA, 2003.
Tarot de Madrid
Black-and-white photographs of models whose faces are made up using elements found on the major arcana.
Shakespeare playing cards: Insults
Shakespeare Insults playing cards with portraits by Jan Padover, USA, 2005.
Shakespeare playing cards: Quotes
Shakespeare playing cards: Quotes, the first volume of a double set published by Prospero Art of San Francisco, 2004.
Jeu Quatre Empereurs
Brazilian scenic aces with emperors of Brazil, Austria and France and other dignitaries on the court cards.
Portrait de Fribourg
Fine reproduction of a Fribourg pattern pack, originally by Jean-Jacques Burdel.
Claude Weisbuch
Free reinterpretation of the traditional Paris pattern courts by the artist Claude Weisbuch.
Old Testament playing cards
Old Testament playing cards with illustrations by Jan Padover, USA, 2012.
Starz behind bars
Starz behind bars playing cards with mug shots of the rich and famous under arrest, USA, 2003.
House of Cards: Deck of Bush
House of Cards: Deck of Bush playing cards presenting reasons not to re-elect President Bush for a second term, USA, 2003.