Italia playing cards
Small, narrow cards designed by Osvaldo Menegazzi, bearing a strong resemblance to a Swedish pattern pack.
How curious that these small, elongated cards called “Italia” appear to be a variant of a Swedish pattern pack! Three of the Jacks carry different weapons from those found in a Swedish pack but otherwise the designs are much the same. Perhaps the designer, Osvaldo Menegazzi, thought that Swedish cards would look exotic in the eyes of Italian card players! The court cards are double-ended and the Aces have special designs. The cards have square corners, no indices, and plain white backs. See the box►
Above: “Italia” playing cards designed by Osvaldo Menegazzi (Studio Tratto, Milan). Published by Edizioni del Solleone di Vito Arienti, Lissone, Italy, 1970. 40 cards + 2 dice in sliding box. Size: 20 x 70 mm. Plain backs.
Reference
Fournier Museum Catalogue, Vol. 1, Italy 228.
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.
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