Birkel Schwarzer Peter
The Birkel company has produced several promotional “Schwarzer Peter” packs over the years and this one is themed on the circus.
Birkel Schwarzer Peter Zirkus Kartenspiel
The Birkel company is Germany’s No. 1 noodle manufacturer and the first Birkel-brand noodle products came onto the market as early as 1902. The company has produced several promotional “Schwarzer Peter” packs over the years and this one is themed on the circus. Noodles can be seen on both sides of the box and the Birkel logo is printed on each card, showing typical circus acts.
The set contains 12 matching pairs of circus cards plus a “Schwarzer Peter” card showing a clown being thrown off a donkey. This is the “loser” card and the object of the game is complete matching pairs and to avoid being left holding this single card.
Above: Birkel Schwarzer Peter Zirkus Kartenspiel, 25 cards in box, c.1950.
By Simon Wintle
Member since February 01, 1996
Founder and editor of the World of Playing Cards since 1996. He is a former committee member of the IPCS and was graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal for many years. He has lived at various times in Chile, England and Wales and is currently living in Extremadura, Spain. Simon's first limited edition pack of playing cards was a replica of a seventeenth century traditional English pack, which he produced from woodblocks and stencils.
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