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Playing Cards from France

French Playing Cards

Some of the oldest cards still in existence come from France. During the 16th and 17th centuries France was the major supplier of playing cards in Europe.

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Les Saints Guérisseurs et Protecteurs

Les Saints Guérisseurs et Protecteurs

Healing and patron saints portrayed in paintings, manuscripts, altarpieces and statuary.

Les Sports

Les Sports

Les Sports quartet game designed by Paul Ordner, c.1960.

Les Tontons du Rock

Les Tontons du Rock

Caricatures of rock and pop stars in black and white by Charles Da Costa.

Lilian Cailleaud’s Tarot Project

Lilian Cailleaud’s Tarot Project

Lilian Caillaeud lino-cuts his version of the tarot by Nicolas Rolichon of Lyon c.1600

Linocut Printed Tarot Cards

Linocut Printed Tarot Cards

Linocut is a printing technique similar to woodblock printing where a design is cut into linoleum (a wood mixture) using a sharp knife or chisel; the lino sheet is then inked and pressed into a sheet to produce the image. Cécile Jaillard from Strasbourg, France has used this method to create her own tarot pack.

Livre du Destin

Livre du Destin

Livre du Destin / The Book of Fate, c.1900, entire deck (32 cards)

Livre du Destin

Livre du Destin

Livre du Destin or Book of Fate, printed by B.P.Grimaud, Paris, c.1900.

Lorilleux International

Lorilleux International

Promotional pack for Lorilleux International’s Lotus inks, with designs by James Hodges.

Lyon pattern by Michel Ressy

Lyon pattern by Michel Ressy

Lyon pattern by Michel Ressy, c.1760.

Lyon Pattern type iii

Lyon Pattern type iii

This pattern was used in various parts of eastern France but was ultimately replaced by the official ‘Paris’ pattern in c.1780.

Maisons-Alfort à la “Belle Epoque”

Maisons-Alfort à la “Belle Epoque”

Celebrating 1,000 years of the town of Maisons-Alfort (988-1988) with designs by Henri Simoni.

Maquettes for an unpublished WWI pack

Maquettes for an unpublished WWI pack

Original designs depicting leaders and allegories from Russia, France, Great Britain and Belgium.

Marché 7 Familles

Marché 7 Familles

“Marché 7 Familles” Happy Families card game published by France Cartes

Marie and Laurent’s Wedding

Marie and Laurent’s Wedding

Wedding invitation and thank you card in the form of playing cards. France, 2019.

Martinique

Martinique

Original designs from the French overseas department of Martinique by local artist Martine Porry.

Masonic Playing Cards

Masonic Playing Cards

A set of playing cards designed by Julien Lebleu, an original work in the history of Freemasonry. Jeu de cartes conçu par Julien Lebleu, oeuvre originale dans l'histoire de la Franc-maçonnerie.

Mauclair Dacier Familles

Mauclair Dacier Familles

This “Jeu de Sept Familles” was produced by Mauclair Dacier in the late 19th century.

Mémoires de Casanova

Mémoires de Casanova

Mémoires de Casanova artistic and lightly risqué playing cards with paintings by Paul-Émile Bécat, published by Éditions Philibert, Paris, c.1960.

Miniature French fashion playing cards

Miniature French fashion playing cards

Tiny 19th.century ‘Cartes Mignonnes’ playing cards depicting the fashions of the period

MISSCŒUR

MISSCŒUR

Elongated cards from France with a fourth court card, a Miss.