Van Cleef & Arpels
Promotional pack created for Van Cleef & Arpels’ boutique in Geneva, Switzerland.
Packs with black backgrounds often look stunning, this one more so than most. Add heavily gilded edges and you have a luxury item for a luxury jewellery company. The red suits look fine against their black backgrounds but the black suits have necessarily had to be changed to white. The effect is completed by the addition of yellow on all the court cards and Jokers (perhaps meant to look like gold). The pips have been faceted to resemble precious gemstones. The Jokers hold octagonal plaques depicting the Place Vendome in Paris where the VCA flagship store has been located since 1906. The signature of the designer, Henri Simoni, appears at the foot of the red Joker. According to the extra card, the pack was offered to customers of VCA’s boutique in Geneva, Switzerland.
Above: Promotional pack created for Van Cleef & Arpels’ boutique in Geneva, Switzerland printed by Maitres Cartiers Boéchat Frères, and published by Editions J.C. Dusserre, Paris, France, c1980. 52 cards + 2 Jokers + 1 extra card. No box. Size: 57 x 86 mm.
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.
Related Articles
Never Mind the Belote
Limited edition Belote pack with designs by a collective of 24 street artists.
Sannois dans les étoiles
Celebrities and buildings associated with Sannois, a commune in the suburbs of Paris.
Le Globe Céleste
Views and plans of five international exhibitions held in Paris between 1855 and 1900.
Le Journal de Mickey
Perforated sheet of cards with Disney characters issued with the magazine Le Journal de Mickey.
Tarot hiéroglyphique égyptien
The design of the cards draws inspiration from various religious and philosophical traditions merged...
La Réussite (Sébastien Féraut)
Sébastien Féraut’s designs inspired by the animal kingdom for a set promoting patience games.
Le Tarot de Sète
Reinterpretation of the Tarot de Marseille by Julien Labat, an artist from Sète.
Oracle Rock
Cartomantic set depicting rock and pop stars, designed by La Rata, with a book by Virginie Despentes...
Jeu Numismatique
European coins of all periods replace the traditional courts and pips.
Jeu Philatélique
Cards with French postage stamps featuring famous literary figures.
Tarot Philatélique
Tarot game pack with French postage stamps on all the courts, aces and trumps.
Jeu Philatélique – Les Colonies Françaises
Philatelic card game featuring real postage stamps from the French colonies.
Tarot Actuel 1984
Major arcana to cut out, issued with the French magazine Actuel, using photographic images.
Spanish pattern by Eugène Boisse
Spanish pattern published by Eugène Boisse, Bordeaux.
Catalan pattern by B.P Grimaud
Standard Spanish Catalan pattern deck made in Paris by B.P Grimaud.
Cartes politiques : Jeu d'actualité
Political playing cards published by Grimaud et Chartier, Paris, 1872.
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 28 days
