Bohemian pattern by Bonaparte

It must be difficult for any new manufacturer of playing cards to create their own version of a standard pattern which is acceptable to serious card players and which does not copy too closely the designs by established manufacturers such as Piatnik or OTK. The Czech company Bonaparte (established 1993) has achieved this with some minor changes to the traditional designs, e.g., the prancing horse on the 9 of Bells is now at a standstill, the elephant’s trunk on the 8 of Leaves has been shortened and lowered, Cupid’s arrow strikes a heart affixed to an arch and not to a pole on the 10 of Hearts, etc. The manufacturer’s logo (a half-length drawing of Napoleon Bonaparte) appears on the box, the 8 of Bells (together with a barcode) and also in the centre of the back design. See the box►

Above: Standard Bohemian pattern printed by Bonaparte, Plzeň, Czech Republic, c.2000. 32 cards + 1 extra card in tuck box. Size: 60.5 x 100 mm. The extra card has text in Slovak on one side and Czech on the other. The back pattern is reminiscent of an old OTK design.