Les Cartes pour l'Égalité

Published August 30, 2022 Updated August 30, 2022

Playing cards for gender equality, created on the 500th anniversary of classic French cards

2010 Belgium France Cartamundi

This pack of French standard pattern playing cards was made to create gender equality in the male dominated hierarchy of French suited playing cards. The Kings are no longer dominant and the kings (Roi) now consist of two kings and two queens. The queens (Dame) have been replaced with two dukes and two duchesses while the jacks (Valet) bear the names of revolutionary men & women who fought for the republic and gender equality. The pack was published in 2010 on the 500th anniversary of classic French cards according to the designer. The cards are the brainchild of Gonzaque Jobbé-Duval who decided to retain the traditional style of the court cards so that players can still easily use them. The pack has 52 cards and 2 jokers and was printed by Carta Mundi. Incuded is a explanatory leaflet in French.

More information can be found here, where the pack is still available for purchase.
It does not seem to have been very successful !


Below: the box.

All cards shown are from the collection of Paul Symons ©


avatar
71 Articles

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.

Related Articles

1970 Pathé Marconi

Pathé Marconi

Special promotion pack for French record company Pathé Marconi.

2010 Modern Swiss-German Pattern (carta.media)

Modern Swiss-German Pattern (carta.media)

Modernizing tradition: balancing clarity and continuity in regional card design.

Archaic Spanish-suited pattern from Bayonne

Archaic Spanish-suited pattern from Bayonne

Archaic Franco-Spanish pattern from Bayonne by a manufacturer with the initals M.V.

2021 Nimbus playing cards

Nimbus playing cards

Mike Steer’s weather-themed pack with suits in four colours and backs for cardistry.

1972 Caisse Mutuelle d'Assurance et de Prevoyance

Caisse Mutuelle d'Assurance et de Prevoyance

Insurance propaganda pack for Caisse Mutuelle d'Assurance et de Prevoyance with humorous artwork by ...

1794 Jeu Révolutionnaire

Jeu Révolutionnaire

Court cards and aces from a French Revolutionary pack by Pinaut, Paris, c.1794.

1794 French Revolutionary cards by Pinaut

French Revolutionary cards by Pinaut

Seven cards from a French Revolutionary pack by Pinaut featuring characters from classical antiquity...

1873 An Anonymous Belgian Transformation Pack

An Anonymous Belgian Transformation Pack

Anonymous Belgian transformation pack borrowing many images from earlier designs by Braun & Schneide...

2015 Never Mind the Belote

Never Mind the Belote

Limited edition Belote pack with designs by a collective of 24 street artists.

2000 Sannois dans les étoiles

Sannois dans les étoiles

Celebrities and buildings associated with Sannois, a commune in the suburbs of Paris.

1992 Le Globe Céleste

Le Globe Céleste

Views and plans of five international exhibitions held in Paris between 1855 and 1900.

1999 Le Journal de Mickey

Le Journal de Mickey

Perforated sheet of cards with Disney characters issued with the magazine Le Journal de Mickey.

1897 Tarot hiéroglyphique égyptien

Tarot hiéroglyphique égyptien

The design of the cards draws inspiration from various religious and philosophical traditions merged...

2024 La Réussite (Sébastien Féraut)

La Réussite (Sébastien Féraut)

Sébastien Féraut’s designs inspired by the animal kingdom for a set promoting patience games.

2021 Le Tarot de Sète

Le Tarot de Sète

Reinterpretation of the Tarot de Marseille by Julien Labat, an artist from Sète.

2022 Oracle Rock

Oracle Rock

Cartomantic set depicting rock and pop stars, designed by La Rata, with a book by Virginie Despentes...