Gustav Klimt playing cards
Gustav Klimt playing cards featuring familiar elements of Klimt’s work.
Gustav Klimt’s work is very familiar and has become very commercial. Here, parts of just three of his most famous works (including The Kiss) have been used to decorate the double-ended court cards which have added touches of scrollwork. The same designs have (disappointingly) been used in each suit. Metallic gold ink has been used on the court cards, Jokers and box, adding a touch of luxury to the cards. (Unfortunately, the gold shows up more as black on the scans). The indices are in German, using an Art Nouveau-style script. See the box►
Above: Gustav Klimt playing cards published by Fridolin GmbH, Herrenberg, Germany, c2015. 52 cards + 2 (identical) Jokers in tuck box. Size: 58 x 88.5 mm.
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
Briefmarken-Quartett
Quartet game featuring postage stamps from the Zones of Occupation in post-WWII Germany.
IG Chemie Papier Keramik
Promotional pack designed by Karl-Heinz Schroers for a German trade union with comical bears on the ...
Whist by Ditha Moser
Ditha Moser created this minimalist Whist deck in 1905, in the style of the Vienna Secession art mov...
Alan Tarot Deck
Reprint of a Tarock pack originally designed by Argio Orell for the Austrian Lloyd shipping company....
Engel-Tarot
Set of major arcana designed by Alois Hanslian depicting angels throughout.
Virgil Solis
Remarkable pack of 52 animal-suited playing-cards designed and etched by Virgil Solis.
Politiker-Skat by Bubec
Caricatures of world leaders, including many German politicians, by the artist Bubec.
Le Poker Politique
French politicians and various world leaders caricatured by the German artist Bubec.
Historical Characters
Double-ended deck with historical characters and jacks as jesters by Daveluy, c.1850.
Unimog UX 100
Cartoons promoting the Unimog UX 100, a small truck produced by Mercedes-Benz.
Juristenskat
Caricatures of lawyers and judges by Philipp Heinisch for HEEL Verlag.
Battles in Mexico, 1847
Uncut proof sheet with Mexican Battle scenes on the aces and portraits of American generals on the c...
Double-ended German-suited pack by Josef Glanz, Vienna.
From the British Museum collection.
Medizin Skat
Promotional pack for a hospital group in the Saarland, with non-standard suits and courts designed b...
Opernkarte I
Humorous designs by Peter Becker on the theme of the Opera.
Haushaltgeräte
Publicity pack for VEB Kombinat Haushaltgeräte, makers of household goods, with designs by Volker Ha...
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 28 days
