Paris Scenes

Published May 18, 2016 Updated July 26, 2022

“Paris Story” playing cards published by Éditions Philibert, c.1957, showing photographic scenes of Paris.

1957 France Philibert Photography Souvenir

“Paris Story” playing cards published by Éditions Philibert, c.1957, showing photographic scenes of Paris. Each card has suit symbols and indices superimposed in the corners, and the court designations are both English (K,Q,J) and French (R,D,V). The backs have the letters of the word "Paris" in black and gold set against a red sailing ship.

“Paris Story” playing cards published by Éditions Philibert, c.1957

Above: “Paris Story” playing cards published by Éditions Philibert, c.1957, showing photographic scenes of Paris. 52 cards + 2 jokers + title card in plastic box. The card stock is thick and the printing is superb as with all Philibert decks. The cards are edged in gold but the sides are red gilt.

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By Rex Pitts (1940-2021)

Member since January 30, 2009

Rex's main interest was in card games, because, he said, they were cheap and easy to get hold of in his early days of collecting. He is well known for his extensive knowledge of Pepys games and his book is on the bookshelves of many.

His other interest was non-standard playing cards. He also had collections of sheet music, music CDs, models of London buses, London Transport timetables and maps and other objects that intrigued him.

Rex had a chequered career at school. He was expelled twice, on one occasion for smoking! Despite this he trained as a radio engineer and worked for the BBC in the World Service.

Later he moved into sales and worked for a firm that made all kinds of packaging, a job he enjoyed until his retirement. He became an expert on boxes and would always investigate those that held his cards. He could always recognize a box made for Pepys, which were the same as those of Alf Cooke’s Universal Playing Card Company, who printed the card games. This interest changed into an ability to make and mend boxes, which he did with great dexterity. He loved this kind of handicraft work.

His dexterity of hand and eye soon led to his making card games of his own design. He spent hours and hours carefully cutting them out and colouring them by hand.

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