The World of Playing Cards Logo

Papua New Guinea

Published September 29, 2017 Updated June 13, 2024

Souvenir playing cards from the culturally diverse southwestern Pacific island of Papua New Guinea.

Papua New Guinea Graeme Ross Ethnic & Indigenous Souvenir

Souvenir playing cards from the culturally diverse, southwestern Pacific island of Papua New Guinea designed by Graeme Ross for Robert Brown & Associates. Traditional villages and communities thrive as viable units of Papua New Guinean society. See the Box

Papua New Guinea playing cards designed by Graeme Ross Papua New Guinea playing cards designed by Graeme Ross

Above: Papua New Guinea playing cards designed by Graeme Ross for Robert Brown & Associates. Cards made in China. Images courtesy Rex Pitts.

avatar
775 Articles

By Rex Pitts (1940-2021)

Member since January 30, 2009

Rex's main interest was in card games, because, he said, they were cheap and easy to get hold of in his early days of collecting. He is well known for his extensive knowledge of Pepys games and his book is on the bookshelves of many.

His other interest was non-standard playing cards. He also had collections of sheet music, music CDs, models of London buses, London Transport timetables and maps and other objects that intrigued him.

Rex had a chequered career at school. He was expelled twice, on one occasion for smoking! Despite this he trained as a radio engineer and worked for the BBC in the World Service.

Later he moved into sales and worked for a firm that made all kinds of packaging, a job he enjoyed until his retirement. He became an expert on boxes and would always investigate those that held his cards. He could always recognize a box made for Pepys, which were the same as those of Alf Cooke’s Universal Playing Card Company, who printed the card games. This interest changed into an ability to make and mend boxes, which he did with great dexterity. He loved this kind of handicraft work.

His dexterity of hand and eye soon led to his making card games of his own design. He spent hours and hours carefully cutting them out and colouring them by hand.


Leave a Reply

Default Avatar
Your Name
Just now

Create account to comment Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here.


Related Articles

2024 English Heritage

English Heritage

52 different colour photos of historic sites managed by English Heritage.

1990 Ubo cards

Ubo cards

Traditional Ubo cards from the Philippines made from tree bark.

2006 Covered bridges playing cards

Covered bridges playing cards

Historical covered bridges with photography by Bill Miller, 2006.

1981 Motherpeace Round Tarot

Motherpeace Round Tarot

An original and imaginative feminist tarot based on Goddess energy.

Hispania Romana

Hispania Romana

Educational card game depicting the Roman period in Spanish history.

2013 Go Go Gorillas!

Go Go Gorillas!

Go Go Gorillas! charity playing cards sponsored by the Eastern Daily Press and the Norwich Evening N...

1973 Colonial Art

Colonial Art

A collection of 53 pieces of art showcasing detailed scenes from early American colonial life.

2024 Piatnik’s 200<sup>th</sup> Anniversary

Piatnik’s 200th Anniversary

A special philatelic souvenir for Piatnik’s 200th anniversary, combining playing cards an...

Sissi playing cards

Sissi playing cards

produced for the Austrian tourist market.

Seashells playing cards

Seashells playing cards

Each card shows colour photo of a different seashell for easy identification.

Introduction to Collecting Themes

Introduction to Collecting Themes

Playing cards can be broadly categorised into standard and non-standard designs, with collectors app...

2002 Scenic Views of Australia

Scenic Views of Australia

54 different scenic views of Australia in full colour.

1964 Monuments de Paris

Monuments de Paris

‘Monuments de Paris’ souvenir playing cards produced by Heraclio Fournier, c.1964.

Le jeu des 7 Familles ’Utuafare

Le jeu des 7 Familles ’Utuafare

Colourful Happy Families game from Tahiti depicting costumes from different archipelagoes.

1990 Borna Skat

Borna Skat

Publicity pack for the Saxon town of Borna, with designs by Andreas Wachter.

Mohegan Sun playing cards

Mohegan Sun playing cards

Mohegan Sun playing cards published by Gemaco for Mohegan Sun casino.