Jeu des 7 familles basques

Published June 13, 2024 Updated June 14, 2024

A Happy Families-type game from the Basque country, with designs by Soledad Bravi and Agathe de Lastic.

2022 Basque Country France Spain Heraclio Fournier SNOB Soledad Bravi Happy Families

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

Jeu des 7 familles basques published by SNOB, Paris, France. Printed by Heraclio Fournier, S.A., Legutiano, Spain Jeu des 7 familles basques published by SNOB, Paris, France. Printed by Heraclio Fournier, S.A., Legutiano, Spain Jeu des 7 familles basques published by SNOB, Paris, France. Printed by Heraclio Fournier, S.A., Legutiano, Spain

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

avatar
618 Articles

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

1979 Saarberg 79

Saarberg 79

Saarberg mining pack for 1979, with designs by Fritz Ludwig Schmidt.

1980 Ministère des Postes et Télécommunications

Ministère des Postes et Télécommunications

Famous figures connected with the French postal service, with designs by Henri Simoni.

1988 Jeu Buffon

Jeu Buffon

Illustrations of different birds from works by Buffon to celebrate the bicentenary of his death.

1970 Pathé Marconi

Pathé Marconi

Special promotion pack for French record company Pathé Marconi.

1740 Pierre Varangot

Pierre Varangot

Tracing the origins, legality and legacy of Pierre Varangot’s San Sebastián deck.

Archaic Spanish-suited pattern from Bayonne

Archaic Spanish-suited pattern from Bayonne

Archaic Franco-Spanish pattern from Bayonne by a manufacturer with the initals M.V.

1972 Caisse Mutuelle d'Assurance et de Prevoyance

Caisse Mutuelle d'Assurance et de Prevoyance

Insurance propaganda pack for Caisse Mutuelle d'Assurance et de Prevoyance with humorous artwork by ...

1794 Jeu Révolutionnaire

Jeu Révolutionnaire

Court cards and aces from a French Revolutionary pack by Pinaut, Paris, c.1794.

1794 French Revolutionary cards by Pinaut

French Revolutionary cards by Pinaut

Seven cards from a French Revolutionary pack by Pinaut featuring characters from classical antiquity...

2005 Tarot de las Coscojas

Tarot de las Coscojas

Historical playing card design, tarot symbolism and an almost psychedelic medieval surrealism.

1980 Tarot de Valverde de la Vera

Tarot de Valverde de la Vera

A series of 24 surrealist engravings by Mexican artist Claudio Favier in which archetypal Tarot alle...

2015 Never Mind the Belote

Never Mind the Belote

Limited edition Belote pack with designs by a collective of 24 street artists.

2000 Sannois dans les étoiles

Sannois dans les étoiles

Celebrities and buildings associated with Sannois, a commune in the suburbs of Paris.

1992 Le Globe Céleste

Le Globe Céleste

Views and plans of five international exhibitions held in Paris between 1855 and 1900.

2025 Baraja de Juan Martín Zamorano

Baraja de Juan Martín Zamorano

Deck inspired by El Pendón de los Zamorano, a military pennant dating from 1501, published by Priego...

1999 Le Journal de Mickey

Le Journal de Mickey

Perforated sheet of cards with Disney characters issued with the magazine Le Journal de Mickey.