Napoleone playing cards

Published August 10, 2023 Updated August 10, 2023

Long, narrow cards designed by Osvaldo Menegazzi, featuring Napoleon, Josephine and various soldiers.

1971 Italy Solleone Osvaldo Menegazzi Military Napoleon

Apart from Napoleon (KH) and Josephine (QH), the elongated cards in this pack depict an official and various soldiers in uniform, with dates ranging between 1792 and 1812. The designs by Osvaldo Menegazzi are single-ended, with only the court cards being numbered (10, 9, 8). The four Aces are decorated and all the pips have an ‘N’ in the centre. On the 2 of Spades, the designer has failed to remember to turn one of the pips. The cards have square corners and plain blue-green backs.

Napoleone playing cards designed by Osvaldo Menegazzi (Studio Tratto, Milan). Published by Edizioni del Solleone di Vito Arienti, Lissone, Italy, 1971 Napoleone playing cards designed by Osvaldo Menegazzi (Studio Tratto, Milan). Published by Edizioni del Solleone di Vito Arienti, Lissone, Italy, 1971

Above: Napoleone playing cards designed by Osvaldo Menegazzi (Studio Tratto, Milan). Published by Edizioni del Solleone di Vito Arienti, Lissone, Italy, 1971. 40 cards. Size: 34 x 120 mm.

Reference

Fournier Museum Catalogue, Vol. 1, Italy 227.

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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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