Jeu des 7 familles basques
A Happy Families-type game from the Basque country, with designs by Soledad Bravi and Agathe de Lastic.
Here is a jeu des 7 familles with a difference. This one has seven cards in each family instead of the normal six, the seventh card being an animal. All the families have Basque names and the cards contain many references to Basque traditions, food and culture – surfing, fishing, dancing, singing, playing golf, pelota, piment d’Espelette, etc. Soledad Bravi’s simple, childlike designs are aimed at children and adults alike. The back design uses the three main colours of the Basque flag – (Basque) red, green, and white. This pack can be considered truly Basque as it was printed in the Spanish Basque region of Álava by Heraclio Fournier on good-quality playing-card board. See the box
Above: Jeu des 7 familles basques published by SNOB, Paris, France. Printed by Heraclio Fournier, S.A., Legutiano, Spain. 49 cards + 5 extra cards (including instructions in French) in tuck box. Size: 63 x 88 mm.
Purchased in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, May 2024. See www.snob.fr/boutique/jeu-des-7-familles-basques-simple for further details and how to order.
The two female creators have also written a book, "Dans la tête de mon ado", about how adolescents think: available here→
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.
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