The World of Playing Cards Logo

Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

Published October 11, 2012 Updated May 05, 2023

One of a series of sumptuous Venice Simplon-Orient-Express playing cards produced by B.P. Grimaud for the VSOE gift collection. The 3/4 length court cards depict people in Oriental costumes.

France Grimaud Art Nouveau & Jugendstil Luxury Orientalism Railway Souvenir Vsoe
Cartes Indiennes, Grimaud, c.1890 - Bibliothèque nationale de France

Above: kings of spades and clubs from 1890 editions of Cartes Indiennes by B.P. Grimaud.

One of a series of sumptuous Venice Simplon-Orient-Express playing cards produced by B.P. Grimaud for the VSOE gift collection. The 3/4 length court cards depict Bibliothèque nationale de Francepeople in Oriental costumes and are reminiscent of Dondorf's “Vier-Erdteile” (Four Continents) deck. The deck was originally published by Grimaud in 1890 with no indices as Cartes indiennes, but indices have been overlaid in the present edition. The tax stamp visible on the Ace of Clubs was in use in France until 1940.

See also: Venice Simplon-Orient-Express Playing Cards →

Venise-Simplon Orient Express Playing Cards produced by B.P. Grimaud, Paris

Above: Venice Simplon-Orient-Express Playing Cards produced by B.P. Grimaud, Paris. Images courtesy Barney Townshend.


Further Reading

Kamayani Sharma: How Mughal badshahs and begums became a source of inspiration for 19th-century French playing cards

avatar
131 Articles

By Barney Townshend

Member since October 06, 2015

Retired Airline Pilot, interested in: Transformation Playing Cards, Karl Gerich and Elaine Lewis. Secretary of the EPCS. Treasurer of the IPCS.

Related Articles

1984 Tarot Actuel 1984

Tarot Actuel 1984

Major arcana to cut out, issued with the French magazine Actuel, using photographic images.

1990 The Glasgow Pack

The Glasgow Pack

Issued to celebrate Glasgow’s reign as European City of Culture in 1990, with city views and works o...

1865 Spanish pattern by Eugène Boisse

Spanish pattern by Eugène Boisse

Spanish pattern published by Eugène Boisse, Bordeaux.

1979 Baraja Turística del País Vasco

Baraja Turística del País Vasco

Basque poker deck of 55 cards published by Fournier with scenic views of the Basque Country.

1860 Catalan pattern by B.P Grimaud

Catalan pattern by B.P Grimaud

Standard Spanish Catalan pattern deck made in Paris by B.P Grimaud.

1872 Cartes politiques : Jeu d'actualité

Cartes politiques : Jeu d'actualité

Political playing cards published by Grimaud et Chartier, Paris, 1872.

1983 Le Poker Politique

Le Poker Politique

French politicians and various world leaders caricatured by the German artist Bubec.

1630 Swiss playing cards by Iehan Hemau

Swiss playing cards by Iehan Hemau

17th century Swiss-suited playing cards by Iehan Hemau of Épinal.

1988 SCOR playing cards

SCOR playing cards

Bizarre and fantastical images by the artist Roland Topor for the SCOR reinsurance company.

2024 English Heritage

English Heritage

52 different colour photos of historic sites managed by English Heritage.

Archaic Franco-Spanish pattern

Archaic Franco-Spanish pattern

Archaic Franco-Spanish pattern by Guillaume & Jean Grossard (Bordeaux).

1850 Historical Characters

Historical Characters

Double-ended deck with historical characters and jacks as jesters by Daveluy, c.1850.

1972 Les Jeux de Pastor

Les Jeux de Pastor

Striking designs by Edouard Pastor focusing on the heads of figures from the medieval period.

1971 Le Jeu des Personnages de l’Antiquité et du Moyen-Age

Le Jeu des Personnages de l’Antiquité et du Moyen-Age

Edouard Pastor’s designs in black and gold inspired by Antiquity and the Middle Ages.

2006 Covered bridges playing cards

Covered bridges playing cards

Historical covered bridges with photography by Bill Miller, 2006.

Rouen Pattern  - Portrait Rouennais

Rouen Pattern - Portrait Rouennais

An attractive XV century French-suited design from Rouen became the standard English & Anglo-America...