Art Nouveau playing cards from Italy

This is a beautiful example of a pack of cards created in the Art Nouveau style with aces and court cards embellished and sensually intwined with garlands of vines and flowers.

The pack was printed by S.A.I.G.A. Fratelli Armanino of Genoa, Italy in fine chromolithography (SAIGA meaning Societa Anonima Industrie Grafiche co Affini) and the tax stap on the Ace of Hearts indicates that it was produced in 1910. It is dated 12 august 1910 to be precise. The second brown stamp is for 30 cents and was used between 1883 and 1914. Notice that the court cards are outlined with a dark line making them stand out from the background.

The pack has 52 cards plus a joker and came in a leather case for 2 packs.

Below: the joker and reverse of the cards.

References:
Auction catalogue Ketteren Kunst Munchen Nov.1997 , Spielkarten Jugendstil zum Art Deco. No.21

All cards shown are from the collection of Paul Symons ©