Credito Commerciale

Published June 13, 2014 Updated February 13, 2023

Playing cards designed by Enzo Laurà for Credito Commerciale, 1978.

1978 Italy Enzo Laurà Advertising Art & Design Banking & Finance

Credito Commerciale

corporate commodification of culture?

Playing cards designed by Enzo Laurà for Credito Commerciale, one of Italy's largest banks, in 1978. The court cards show imaginary characters from different periods of Italy's history, whilst the Ace of Spades and back design are decorated with an exuberance of foliage, perhaps showing how the forces of culture and media are interwoven in the capitalist economy. One of the Jokers holds a large money bag, the other a magic wand. The four large international Bridge indices enhance the visibility of the cards.

Playing cards designed by Enzo Laurà for Credito Commerciale, 1978

Above: Playing cards designed by Enzo Laurà for Credito Commerciale, 1978. The court cards are colour coordinated in each suit. Images courtesy Rex Pitts.

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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.

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