F. X. Schmid Mini-Patience
Miniature Patience playing cards in Rococo style published by F. X. Schmid, c.1960
Miniature patience playing cards published by F. X. Schmid, c.1970. The double ended courts depict stylized portraits in 18th century rococo fashion. The backs have an image of swallows in 2 different colours. The cards come as dual packs, each with 52 cards plus 3 jokers, in an orange PVC wallet►


Above: Miniature Patience playing cards published by F. X. Schmid, c.1970. Card size 23mms x 35mms. Images courtesy Matt Probert.

By Matt Probert
Member since March 02, 2012
I have adored playing cards since before I was seven years old, and was brought up on packs of Waddington's No 1. As a child I was fascinated by the pictures of the court cards.
Over the next fifty years I was seduced by the artwork in Piatnik's packs and became a collector of playing cards.
Seeking more information about various unidentified packs I discovered the World of Playing Cards website and became an enthusiastic contributor researching and documenting different packs of cards.
I describe my self as a playing card archaeologist, using detective work to identify and date obscure packs of cards discovered in old houses, flea markets and car boot sales.
Related Articles

IG Chemie Papier Keramik
Promotional pack designed by Karl-Heinz Schroers for a German trade union with comical bears on the ...

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

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

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.

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...

Cartes enfantines
Miniature 18th century Paris pattern cards for children, with decorated aces and 2s.

Animal Tarot by Johann Jobst Forster
French-suited 78-card animal tarot deck of the Bavarian type.
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 28 days