Cassino

Published December 19, 2011 Updated March 17, 2022

Naipes Cassino de Don Clemente, Pasatiempos Gallo S.A., Mexico, c.1988.

Mexico Pasatiempos Gallo Cassino Advertising
detail of Ace of Spades from Naipes Cassino de Don Clemente, Pasatiempos Gallo S.A., Mexico, c.1988.

Naipes ‘Cassino’ de Don Clemente

Naipes ‘Cassino’ de Don Clemente, Pasatiempos Gallo S.A., Querétaro, Mexico, c.1988

The Ace of Spades and one of the two Jokers gives the manufacturer's name and address as: Pasatiempos Gallo S.A., Apdo. postal 250, Querétaro, Mexico. The reverse features an advertisement for Polaroid copying.

Right: The Ace of Spades has a cockerel's head and the initials ‘CJ’ incorporated into the design, which refers to the original manufacturer's name, ‘Clemente Jacques’ and the ‘Gallo’ trademark which was acquired by Don Clemente in 1982.

Standard Anglo-American packs such as the example shown here were produced by Clemente Jacques y Cia since at the least the 1950s, often with pictorial back designs, and then by Pasatiempos Gallo S.A. since c.1975. Only slight design details have changed over the years on the Ace of Spades. The court card designs are loosely copied from those published by the U.S. Playing Card Co.

Naipes Cassino de Don Clemente, Pasatiempos Gallo S.A., Mexico, c.1988.

Above: Naipes ‘Cassino’ de Don Clemente, Pasatiempos Gallo S.A., Mexico, c.1988. Cassino (with double 's') is located in Italy but the joker design is copied from Catel & Farcy (Paris)


References:

García Martín, Enrique: Clemente Jacques, in LA SOTA no.15, Asescoin, Madrid, September 1996

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By Simon Wintle

Member since February 01, 1996

I am the founder of The World of Playing Cards (est. 1996), a website dedicated to the history, artistry and cultural significance of playing cards and tarot. Over the years I have researched various areas of the subject, acquired and traded collections and contributed as a committee member of the IPCS and graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal. Having lived in Chile, England, Wales, and now Spain, these experiences have shaped my work and passion for playing cards. Amongst my achievements is producing a limited-edition replica of a 17th-century English pack using woodblocks and stencils—a labour of love. Today, the World of Playing Cards is a global collaborative project, with my son Adam serving as the technical driving force behind its development. His innovative efforts have helped shape the site into the thriving hub it is today. You are warmly invited to become a contributor and share your enthusiasm.

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