Les Sports

Published July 03, 2017 Updated June 11, 2022

Les Sports quartet game designed by Paul Ordner, c.1960.

1960 France Fernand Nathan Paul Ordner Sports Card Games Quartet

Les Sports quartet game was designed by cartoonist and artist Paul Ordner (1901-1969) and published by Fernand Nathan, c.1960. His drawing talents were recognised very early at Rollin School (Paris) and first appear in 1923 in an advertisement for Spidoleïne engine oil. After a short time working at the stock exchange he became interested in cartoons and published cartoons for various newspapers. His career as a sports artist began to take off in the 1930s. He became a journalist, travelling across Europe to follow events, and was able to continue this career successfully after the war.

Les Sports quartet game designed by Paul Ordner, published by Fernand Nathan, c.1960 Les Sports quartet game designed by Paul Ordner, published by Fernand Nathan, c.1960 Les Sports quartet game designed by Paul Ordner, published by Fernand Nathan, c.1960 Les Sports quartet game designed by Paul Ordner, published by Fernand Nathan, c.1960 Les Sports quartet game designed by Paul Ordner, published by Fernand Nathan, c.1960 Les Sports quartet game designed by Paul Ordner, published by Fernand Nathan, c.1960

Above: Les Sports quartet game designed by Paul Ordner, published by Fernand Nathan, c.1960. 48 cards in box.


REFERENCES

Paul Ordner: 40 ans de dessin sportif

avatar
775 Articles

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.

Related Articles

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.

1978 Doctor Who Trump Card Game

Doctor Who Trump Card Game

Game for two players in which Doctor Who and the Legendary Legion join battle with the Alien Hordes....

1999 Le Journal de Mickey

Le Journal de Mickey

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

1897 Tarot hiéroglyphique égyptien

Tarot hiéroglyphique égyptien

The design of the cards draws inspiration from various religious and philosophical traditions merged...

2024 La Réussite (Sébastien Féraut)

La Réussite (Sébastien Féraut)

Sébastien Féraut’s designs inspired by the animal kingdom for a set promoting patience games.

2021 Le Tarot de Sète

Le Tarot de Sète

Reinterpretation of the Tarot de Marseille by Julien Labat, an artist from Sète.

2022 Oracle Rock

Oracle Rock

Cartomantic set depicting rock and pop stars, designed by La Rata, with a book by Virginie Despentes...

1994 Jeu Numismatique

Jeu Numismatique

European coins of all periods replace the traditional courts and pips.

1990 Jeu Philatélique

Jeu Philatélique

Cards with French postage stamps featuring famous literary figures.

1990 Tarot Philatélique

Tarot Philatélique

Tarot game pack with French postage stamps on all the courts, aces and trumps.

1945 Jeu Philatélique – Les Colonies Françaises

Jeu Philatélique – Les Colonies Françaises

Philatelic card game featuring real postage stamps from the French colonies.

1999 Polygo™

Polygo™

Cards of irregular, four-sided shape for playing word and colour games as well as more traditional o...

1984 Tarot Actuel 1984

Tarot Actuel 1984

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

2007 Verkeers Kwartet

Verkeers Kwartet

A helpful quartet game celebrating the 75th anniversary of road safety exams making traffic safer.