The World of Playing Cards Logo

El Reloj card game by Imprenta Lecaros

Published July 03, 1996 Updated June 12, 2023

“El Reloj” card game by Imprenta Lecaros, Lima, Peru, c.1920.

1920 Peru Imprenta Lecaros Estanco Card Games

‘El Reloj’ (the clock) card game by Imprenta Lecaros, Lima, Peru

El Reloj card game printed by Imprenta Lecaros, Avenida Abancay 764, Lima, Peru, c.1920. The game is described as “a modern salon game”. The text on the back of the box states that the game was invented to commemorate man’s invention of the clock, and is dedicated by the game’s creator to all homes as an agreeable pastime. The instructions how to pay the game are missing, but the illustration gives an idea.

The front of the box and the back of the cards have a small registered trade mark featuring what looks like a monogram 'BL' - it is not known what this represents.

Back of the box from El Reloj card game manufactured by Imprenta Lecaros, Lima, Peru, c.1920
Box and card from El Reloj card game manufactured by Imprenta Lecaros, Lima, Peru, c.1920 Cards from El Reloj card game manufactured by Imprenta Lecaros, Lima, Peru, c.1920

Above: “El Reloj” card game printed by Imprenta Lecaros, Avenida Abancay 764, Lima, Peru, c.1920. 48 cards in box divided into four colours each running 1 - 12.

Estanco de Fósforos y Naipes tax stamp from the Caja de Depósitos y Consignas, c.1920

The One of Red suits and the box have the ‘Estanco de Fósforos y Naipes’ stamp from the Caja de Depósitos y Consignas (shown left), which would have preceded the Estanco de Naipes, which was established in 1924. Thus at this time card games as well as ordinary playing cards were subjected to some form of tax. No other examples of this tax stamp have been seen to date.

avatar
1,469 Articles

By Simon Wintle

Member since February 01, 1996

Founder and editor of the World of Playing Cards since 1996. He is a former committee member of the IPCS and was graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal for many years. He has lived at various times in Chile, England and Wales and is currently living in Extremadura, Spain. Simon's first limited edition pack of playing cards was a replica of a seventeenth century traditional English pack, which he produced from woodblocks and stencils.


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

1920 Gibson’s History of England

Gibson’s History of England

History without tears for young and old, 1920s.

1995 Iroha Karuta for Hino City

Iroha Karuta for Hino City

Special version of Iroha Karuta, a traditional Japanese matching game, made for Hino City, Tokyo.

1990 Iroha Karuta

Iroha Karuta

Traditional Japanese matching game played mainly by children.

1974 O-Shlemiel card game

O-Shlemiel card game

O-Shlemiel card game with Yiddish words and phrases.

1708 Archaic Spanish proof sheets

Archaic Spanish proof sheets

2 x uncoloured proof sheets of archaic Spanish-suited playing cards produced for “New Spain”, possib...

1875 Lend Me Five Shillings

Lend Me Five Shillings

or “Her Majesty’s Privy Purse” - a merry round-the-table game published by D. Ogilvy.

1875 Laughing Made Easy

Laughing Made Easy

a Victorian card game published by D. Ogilvy.

1904 So-Lah – A Game of Music

So-Lah – A Game of Music

An early 20th century domino-type musical card game by Goodall.

1877 Word Making and Word Taking

Word Making and Word Taking

How crossword and spelling games became popular.

The Search for New Games in the late 19<sup>th</sup> century

The Search for New Games in the late 19th century

A few new games survived and are still around today; most came and went and are only witnessed in th...

1760 Vogelspiel

Vogelspiel

Vogelspiel, a German card game known as the “cuckoo game” also known as “Gnau”.

2002 Mario Testino playing cards

Mario Testino playing cards

A selection of Mario Testino’s photographic work in various fields, notably fashion.

1880 Cartes de Conversation

Cartes de Conversation

Question and answer game printed by Daveluy, Bruges. Each card contains a question (Q.) and an answe...

Hoyle v Foster: whose name should we remember?

Hoyle v Foster: whose name should we remember?

Hoyle’s name is associated with the rules by which many games are played, particularly card games B...

1742 Hoyle and his Legacy

Hoyle and his Legacy

Edmond Hoyle (1672-1769) was an English writer who made his name by writing on whist and a selection...

1900 Bridge Markers and bridge scoring methods

Bridge Markers and bridge scoring methods

Bridge Markers and bridge scoring methods 1900-1930