Kawasaki Trump
Humorous publicity pack for Kawasaki featuring some of their many products.
Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd is a Japanese manufacturer of motorcycles, engines, ships, aircraft (including helicopters), bulldozers and other kinds of heavy equipment. Each humorous court card figure is drawn alongside one of these products. There is a special Ace of Spades incorporating a logo which can also be found on the reverse (in black and white). The two Jokers are depicted astride flying broomsticks. In the corner of the cartoon on the extra card is the name KEN – perhaps the name of the artist who created the fun designs on the courts and Jokers.



Above: ‘Kawasaki Trump’ playing cards made by Nintendo Playing Card Co. Ltd, Kyoto, Japan, for Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd, 1971. 52 cards + 2 Jokers + 1 extra card in plastic box. Size: 58 x 89 mm.

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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