The World of Playing Cards Logo

Tout Est Bien Qui Finit Bien

Published March 01, 2021 Updated March 01, 2021

‘Tout Est Bien Qui Finit Bien’ family card game by Dondorf.

France Germany Dondorf Card Games Quartet

‘Tout Est Bien Qui Finit Bien’ is the French language version of the charming family card game produced by Dondorf with a proverbial title: ‘Ende gut / Alles gut’ (All’s well that ends well).

The pack is divided four series of 10 cards, as shown in the table below, and each series has equivalent titles (key, cat, dog, etc) making ten sets of four cards. Each series also has its own miniature indicator at top left-hand corner and a different colour ribbon around the picture. These are a bit scruffy but it’s the only pack I have ever seen. The game is played akin to Happy Families. See the Rules ‘Tout Est Bien Qui Finit Bien’ family card game by Dondorf, No.323 ‘Tout Est Bien Qui Finit Bien’ family card game by Dondorf, No.323 ‘Tout Est Bien Qui Finit Bien’ family card game by Dondorf, No.323 ‘Tout Est Bien Qui Finit Bien’ family card game by Dondorf, No.323 ‘Tout Est Bien Qui Finit Bien’ family card game by Dondorf, No.323 ‘Tout Est Bien Qui Finit Bien’ family card game by Dondorf, No.323

Above: ‘Tout Est Bien Qui Finit Bien’ family card game by Dondorf, No.323. 40 cards + rules in box. Late 19th century. The German language edition was titled ‘Ende gut / Alles gut

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

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.

2005 Pirritx eta Porrotx

Pirritx eta Porrotx

Happy Families card game from the Spanish Basque Country.

1865 Spanish pattern by Eugène Boisse

Spanish pattern by Eugène Boisse

Spanish pattern published by Eugène Boisse, Bordeaux.

1860 Catalan pattern by B.P Grimaud

Catalan pattern by B.P Grimaud

Standard Spanish Catalan pattern deck made in Paris by B.P Grimaud.

1920 Question and Answer Games

Question and Answer Games

A card game called “Impertinent Questions and Pertinent Answers” was launched in the early 1920s by ...

1872 Cartes politiques : Jeu d'actualité

Cartes politiques : Jeu d'actualité

Political playing cards published by Grimaud et Chartier, Paris, 1872.

1983 Politiker-Skat by Bubec

Politiker-Skat by Bubec

Caricatures of world leaders, including many German politicians, by the artist Bubec.

1983 Le Poker Politique

Le Poker Politique

French politicians and various world leaders caricatured by the German artist Bubec.

1630 Swiss playing cards by Iehan Hemau

Swiss playing cards by Iehan Hemau

17th century Swiss-suited playing cards by Iehan Hemau of Épinal.

1988 SCOR playing cards

SCOR playing cards

Bizarre and fantastical images by the artist Roland Topor for the SCOR reinsurance company.

Archaic Franco-Spanish pattern

Archaic Franco-Spanish pattern

Archaic Franco-Spanish pattern by Guillaume & Jean Grossard (Bordeaux).

1920 Gibson’s History of England

Gibson’s History of England

History without tears for young and old, 1920s.

1972 Les Jeux de Pastor

Les Jeux de Pastor

Striking designs by Edouard Pastor focusing on the heads of figures from the medieval period.

1971 Le Jeu des Personnages de l’Antiquité et du Moyen-Age

Le Jeu des Personnages de l’Antiquité et du Moyen-Age

Edouard Pastor’s designs in black and gold inspired by Antiquity and the Middle Ages.

Rouen Pattern  - Portrait Rouennais

Rouen Pattern - Portrait Rouennais

An attractive XV century French-suited design from Rouen became the standard English & Anglo-America...