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Anonymous pack of Dutch playing cards

Published December 01, 2022 Updated December 01, 2022

produced just after the end of the Second World War.

1945 Netherlands anonymous GW Wartime

Several packs of playing cards were produced in The Netherlands during, and just after the Second World War. They are mostly of cheap quality and bad design. However, this pack has interesting and nicely designed court cards with a unique joker although the quality and use of only two colours reflects the period in which it was made when materials were still in short supply. It was probably printed just after the war ended in 1945 or the year after. The printer is unknown, as is the artist, although the initials ' GW' can be found on the joker. These were probably the initials of the unknown artist. The pack has 52 cards plus a joker and is found with either a red or black back design. It is quite a scarce pack.
You can see another anonymous Dutch pack from 1950 by clicking here.

Reference DXPO speelkartenmuseum: http://www.speelkaartenmuseum.nl/p-kl-druk/pages/1946.htm

All cards shown are from the collection of Paul Symons ©

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By Paul Symons

Member since February 01, 2016

I'm British but I have now lived in the Netherlands for more than 50 years and am still enjoying every minute of it. I started collecting playing cards in the early 1980’s after speaking with my neighbour who was at that time a croupier in a casino. I started with just collecting jokers, but that soon led me to complete packs of cards and eventually to specialising in old and antique playing cards, particularly those of C.L. Wüst of Frankfurt, Germany. I am presently the Dutch representative of the I.P.C.S. and the auctioneer at the IPCS conventions.


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