The Circus
“The Circus” playing cards with artwork by Max Dissar and Rita Rielle, published by Masenghini, Bergamo, c.1980.
This pack, published by Masenghini, Bergamo, c. 1980, features the artwork of Max Dissar (1908-1993) and his pupil Rita Rielle. They shared work and exhibitions for more than 15 years. The aces and court cards show delicate paintings of clowns and other circus figures. The cards were commissioned by the Bioresearch Division of Errekappa Euroterapici (an Italian pharmaceutical company dating back to the 1960s, but established in its current form in 1989). The consultant was Carlo Eugenio Santelia, co-author of I giochi di carte (Milano, Rizzoli, 2002).
Above: “The Circus” playing cards with artwork by Max Dissar and Rita Rielle, published by Masenghini, Bergamo, c. 1980.
By Peter Burnett
Member since July 27, 2022
I graduated in Russian and East European Studies from Birmingham University in 1969. It was as an undergraduate in Moscow in 1968 that I stumbled upon my first 3 packs of “unusual” playing cards which fired my curiosity and thence my life-long interest. I began researching and collecting cards in the early 1970s, since when I’ve acquired over 3,330 packs of non-standard cards, mainly from North America, UK and Western Europe, and of course from Russia and the former communist countries.
Following my retirement from the Bodleian Library in Dec. 2007 I took up a new role as Head of Library Development at the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP) to support library development in low-income countries. This work necessitated regular training visits to many sub-Saharan African countries and also further afield, to Vietnam, Nepal and Bangladesh – all of which provided rich opportunities to further expand my playing card collection.
Since 2019 I’ve been working part-time in the Bodleian Library where I’ve been cataloguing the bequest of the late Donald Welsh, founder of the English Playing Card Society.
Related Articles
Late flowering of the Lyon pattern
Faustino Solesio’s late version of the Lyon pattern from about 1870.
Czech National Patterns by S.D. Modiano
Modiano produced cards with the Prague and Trappola patterns in the early 20th century.
Emilio Tadini playing cards
Beautiful dreamlike playing card designs by Emilio Tadini.
Austrian Tarock by S.D. Modiano
Modiano’s Austrian Tarock with country scenes has been in production for over 100 years.
Le carte da gioco Arcimboldo
Courts and suit-signs inspired by the works of the Italian Renaissance painter, Giuseppe Arcimboldo....
22 Pittori in 22 Arcani
Collaborative Tarot with contributions from 22 different Italian artists including Menegazzi and Tav...
Justice playing cards
Ethical concepts in a deck produced by Riccardo Conturbia’s Passione Playing Cards Ltd.
Alan Tarot Deck
Reprint of a Tarock pack originally designed by Argio Orell for the Austrian Lloyd shipping company....
Il Tarocco del Mondo Nuovo
Imaginative Tarot card designs by Amerigo Folchi relating to Columbus and the New World.
22 Artisti Liguri in 22 Arcani
Collaborative set of major arcana devoted to Christopher Columbus and his voyages of discovery.
Carte di Colombo
Fully illustrated pack designed by Pier Canosa commemorating the 500th anniversary of the discovery ...
Carte di Natale
Designed by Pier Canosa as a Christmas pack for the Cortina Art Gallery in Milan.
Russian Circus deck
The Russian Circus deck published by the Imperial Playing Card Factory, St Petersburg.
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
Spanish-suited cards made in Italy by Laurenzo Propagine.
Il Tarocco Mitologico
Fully pictorial Tarot designed by Amerigo Folchi with figures mainly from Greek mythology.
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 28 days
