Paris Pattern Playing Cards
“Deck with French suits”
A facsimile of an early 19th century French-suited deck from the collection of F.X. Schmid.
25: More Standard European Cards
A further selection of European standard patterns including various redrawings.
Cartes enfantines
Miniature 18th century Paris pattern cards for children, with decorated aces and 2s.
Claude Weisbuch
Free reinterpretation of the traditional Paris pattern courts by the artist Claude Weisbuch.
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.
Jacob Holmblad c.1820
Standard woodblock and stencil deck produced by Jacob Holmblad with double-ended court cards in the tradition of the French ‘Paris’ pattern. The A♥ features a red over-stamp referring to Jacob Holmblad's royal license to print playing-cards which had been granted in 1820.
Johann Jobst Forster
Deck made by Johann Jobst Forster, Nürnberg, first half of 18th century in the Paris pattern.
Johann Matheus Backofen
French-suited deck manufactured by Johann Matheus Backofen, Nürnberg c.1800.
Müller (Diessenhofen), c.1840-50.
Playing Cards made by J. Müller, Diessenhofen, c.1840-50 with court cards coloured differently at each end.
P. Steinmann
Single-figure provincial Paris pattern cards with traditional names on the courts manufactured in Copenhagen by P. Steinmann, c.1820.
Paris Pattern
The Paris pattern was established as such around the middle of the seventeenth century (based, perhaps, on the cards of Hector of Troyes).
Paris pattern for WWII troops
Wartime edition of standard designs with fewer colours, a special back design and an overprint.
Paris pattern variant from Lyon, c1900
Updated courts retaining elements of a standard French pack by C. Gerentes, Lyon.
Standard French-suited Bavarian deck by Göbl
French-suited Bavarian deck by Andreas Benedict Göbl, late 18th c.