Vittoriosa Church Museum
Antique playing cards in Vittoriosa Church Museum dating back to the Knights of Malta period.
These photos of rare archaic playing cards and a wooden block for printing of same cards date back to the Knights of Malta period. These are exhibited at the museum at Vittoriosa Malta in the church of St. Joseph. The Vittoriosa Church Museum describes them as "Unique set of playing cards dating to 1609 with images from the chivalric Order. These are accompanied with some of the related printing blocks" (See the museum leaflet).
The cards are housed inside a glass showcase and obtaining clear photos was not easy. Photography by Vincent Ellul.
Above: Antique playing cards in Vittoriosa Church Museum, Malta, dating to 1609. Photography by Vincent Ellul.
NOTE: the cabinet, in which these very rare playing cards dating to the Knights of Malta are displayed, was commissioned and paid for by Joseph Schiro, so that they may be enjoyed by visitors and at the same time be preserved in a professional environmental display cabinet. Joseph Schiro is a paper conservator and President of the Malta Map Society.
Related Articles
Laurenzo Propagine
Spanish-suited cards made in Italy by Laurenzo Propagine.
Trek Deck Malta Vol. 1
Innovative pack describing 52 different treks around Malta, Gozo and Comino.
Portuguese pattern by Real Fábrica
Later Portuguese pattern by Impressão Règia, Real Fábrica de Lisboa.
Archaic Spanish proof sheets
2 x uncoloured proof sheets of archaic Spanish-suited playing cards produced for “New Spain”, possib...
Sevilla 1647 reproduction
Facsimile of Spanish-suited pack produced in Sevilla, Spain, 1647.
Burgundy pattern - portrait bourguignon
The old Burgundy (or Burgundian) pattern by Nicolas Chenevet, Dijon.
Trappola pack by Joseph Fetscher
Trappola pack published by Joseph Fetscher, Graz, 1739.
Lyon pattern by Michel Ressy
Lyon pattern by Michel Ressy, c.1760.
Trappola pack by Anton Herrl
Trappola pack of 36 double-ended cards published by Anton Herrl, Graz, Austria.
Moorish Deck
Review of “Trzes’ Moorish Deck” facsimile published by Ulrich Kaltenborn, Berlin, 2023.
Guyenne Pattern - Portrait de Guyenne
The Guyenne pattern emerged from the earlier Languedoc pattern.
Dreveton - Provence pattern
French cardmakers Jean and François Dreveton lived in Aix-en-Provence.
Early German playing cards
Some early examples of popular German playing cards from the XV and XVI centuries.
Auvergne Pattern - Portrait d'Auvergne
The Auvergne pattern is one of the oldest in France.
Infirrera
Italo-Portuguese-suited cards by Andrea Infirrera with the arms of Malta, 1693.
Portuguese cards for Brazil
Portuguese-type cards made in or for Brazil, c.1890.
Trending Articles
Popular articles from the past 28 days
