Angel 52 Secrets

Published April 11, 2025 Updated April 11, 2025

Vintage “52 Secret” art deco-inspired playing cards from Japan.

1970 Japan Angel Art Deco Fashion & Costume

Narrow sized lifestyle themed playing cards manufactured by Angel Playing Cards Co Ltd, Japan, featuring court cards adorned with fashion-inspired illustrations. Each court card is reversible to show a different design (the same art deco-inspired designs were also used in “Roaring Twenties” playing cards by Angel Playing Cards which were supposed to evoke the spirit of that era). In this version the indices and suit symbols have been given a different typographic treatment. The back designs are of cherries on a branch, one with a gold background and the other with a silver background. The artist involved is not credited.

“52 Secret” playing cards made by Angel Playing Cards, Japan, 1970s “52 Secret” playing cards made by Angel Playing Cards, Japan, 1970s
“52 Secret” playing cards made by Angel Playing Cards, Japan, 1970s

Above: “52 Secret” playing cards made by Angel Playing Cards, Japan, 1970s. Double pack with matching backs in box. The cards measure 90mm x 40mm.

The pip cards are all split between two different shades. These vintage cards have now become very collectable.

avatar
18 Articles

Related Articles

1950 Japanese Beauties

Japanese Beauties

An elegant fusion of Western and Japanese traditions modelled after ukiyo-e.

1970 Sunday Night / Nichiyoubi no Yoru

Sunday Night / Nichiyoubi no Yoru

An irreverent, avant-garde deck unofficially titled "Nichiyoubi no Yoru" (Sunday Night), designed by...

1970 Angel 52 Secrets

Angel 52 Secrets

Vintage “52 Secret” art deco-inspired playing cards from Japan.

1978 Banjo Cards

Banjo Cards

Images of the peg heads from 4-string banjos from Akira Tsumura’s renowned collection.

1905 Whist by Ditha Moser

Whist by Ditha Moser

Ditha Moser created this minimalist Whist deck in 1905, in the style of the Vienna Secession art mov...

2022 Jim Lyngvild playing cards

Jim Lyngvild playing cards

Photographs of Danish royalty as imagined by fashion designer Jim Lyngvild.

1976 Eki karuta

Eki karuta

Japanese fortune-telling cards based on I Ching, with bold, modern designs.

1995 Iroha Karuta for Hino City

Iroha Karuta for Hino City

Special version of Iroha Karuta, a traditional Japanese matching game, made for Hino City, Tokyo.

1990 Iroha Karuta

Iroha Karuta

Traditional Japanese matching game played mainly by children.

Playing cards with prints by Sumio Kawakami

Playing cards with prints by Sumio Kawakami

Woodblock print designs created by Sumio Kawakami in 1938-9, each card having a different illustrati...

1975 Hanuman and the Five Riders

Hanuman and the Five Riders

A selection cards showing characters from the 1975 Thai-Japanese film.

1985 Victor Hugo “L’homme qui rit”

Victor Hugo “L’homme qui rit”

Two different packs with costume designs for Victor Hugo plays, issued on the centenary of his deat...

1975 Poker Lusso

Poker Lusso

Richly costumed courts on a luxury poker pack from Masenghini.

1995 Guanlangaoshou / Slam Dunk playing cards

Guanlangaoshou / Slam Dunk playing cards

Basketball-themed manga animated playing cards from Japan.

1991 Costume Playing Cards

Costume Playing Cards

Four centuries of costumes from the Costume Court at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

1985 Paco Lobo

Paco Lobo

Highly original and striking designs by Paco Lobo for the fashion house of the same name.