Sicilian playing cards by Antonio Monasta

Published July 03, 1996 Updated July 29, 2023

"Il Leon" Sicilian playing cards, 40-card pack based on Spanish designs, made in Sicily by Antonio Monasta, probably 17th century.

Italy Monasta History Sicilian

"Il Leon" Sicilian playing cards, 40-card pack based on Spanish designs, made in Sicily by Antonio Monasta, probably 17th century. When the Spaniards occupied Sicily, licenses were given to local card makers to manufacture cards, hence the inscription on the two of swords reads "Con licenza del Rey N.S." The colouring is predominantly orange, green and yellow and rather crudely applied as though with the finger tips. The back papers turn over the front edges of the cards, a feature found in Italian cards but not Spanish ones. This pattern was replaced by the modern Sicilian type.

Further References

Salvatore Bonaccorsi, Nicola De Giorgio, Emilia Maggio: The origins of the “Portuguese” suit system for playing cards and tarots in Sicily

avatar
1,479 Articles

By Simon Wintle

Member since February 01, 1996

Founder and editor of the World of Playing Cards since 1996. He is a former committee member of the IPCS and was graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal for many years. He has lived at various times in Chile, England and Wales and is currently living in Extremadura, Spain. Simon's first limited edition pack of playing cards was a replica of a seventeenth century traditional English pack, which he produced from woodblocks and stencils.

Related Articles

2019 Justice playing cards

Justice playing cards

Ethical concepts in a deck produced by Riccardo Conturbia’s Passione Playing Cards Ltd.

1981 Alan Tarot Deck

Alan Tarot Deck

Reprint of a Tarock pack originally designed by Argio Orell for the Austrian Lloyd shipping company....

1991 Il Tarocco del Mondo Nuovo

Il Tarocco del Mondo Nuovo

Imaginative Tarot card designs by Amerigo Folchi relating to Columbus and the New World.

1992 22 Artisti Liguri in 22 Arcani

22 Artisti Liguri in 22 Arcani

Collaborative set of major arcana devoted to Christopher Columbus and his voyages of discovery.

1992 Carte di Colombo

Carte di Colombo

Fully illustrated pack designed by Pier Canosa commemorating the 500th anniversary of the discovery ...

1983 Carte di Natale

Carte di Natale

Designed by Pier Canosa as a Christmas pack for the Cortina Art Gallery in Milan.

Lyon pattern made in Italy by Pietro de Santi

Lyon pattern made in Italy by Pietro de Santi

The Lyon pattern was initially developed in France during the 16th century. As Lyon was a trading hu...

Laurenzo Propagine

Laurenzo Propagine

Spanish-suited cards made in Italy by Laurenzo Propagine.

1988 Il Tarocco Mitologico

Il Tarocco Mitologico

Fully pictorial Tarot designed by Amerigo Folchi with figures mainly from Greek mythology.

1875 Neapolitan pattern by Luigi Pignalosa, Naples

Neapolitan pattern by Luigi Pignalosa, Naples

Two versions of the Neapolitan pattern from the British Museum by Luigi Pignalosa, Naples, 1875 & 18...

Rouen Pattern  - Portrait Rouennais

Rouen Pattern - Portrait Rouennais

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

1995 Dylan Dog

Dylan Dog

Characters and objects from the Italian comic book series Dylan Dog, written by Tiziano Sciavi and d...

2006 Royal Britain

Royal Britain

Pack devised by Pietro Alligo depicting English monarchs from Alfred the Great to Elizabeth II.

1875 Ganjifa - Playing Cards from India

Ganjifa - Playing Cards from India

Indian playing cards, known as Ganjifa, feature intricate designs with twelve suits and are traditio...

The Henry Hart Puzzle

The Henry Hart Puzzle

Explore the intricate history and unique design variations of Henry Hart's playing cards, tracing th...

1647 Sevilla 1647 reproduction

Sevilla 1647 reproduction

Facsimile of Spanish-suited pack produced in Sevilla, Spain, 1647.