Peter Burnett
- United Kingdom • Member since July 27, 2022
I graduated in Russian and East European Studies from Birmingham University in 1969. It was as an undergraduate in Moscow in 1968 that I stumbled upon my first 3 packs of “unusual” playing cards which fired my curiosity and thence my life-long interest. I began researching and collecting cards in the early 1970s, since when I’ve acquired over 3,330 packs of non-standard cards, mainly from North America, UK and Western Europe, and of course from Russia and the former communist countries.
Following my retirement from the Bodleian Library in Dec. 2007 I took up a new role as Head of Library Development at the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP) to support library development in low-income countries. This work necessitated regular training visits to many sub-Saharan African countries and also further afield, to Vietnam, Nepal and Bangladesh – all of which provided rich opportunities to further expand my playing card collection.
Since 2019 I’ve been working part-time in the Bodleian Library where I’ve been cataloguing the bequest of the late Donald Welsh, founder of the English Playing Card Society.
El Desnudo en el Arte
The Nude in Art / El Desnudo en el Arte, Spain, 1977 (reprint 1990)
Naipes Expo ’92
Naipes Expo ’92 souvenir playing cards manufactured by Naipes Comas, 1992.
Baraja Fiesta Taurina
‘Baraja Fiesta Taurina’ bullfight playing cards published by Heraclio Fournier, Spain, 1975.
Secretos de Oriente
Secrets of the Far East playing cards featuring the designs of Violeta Monreal , Spain, c. 1991.
Museo del Prado
Museo del Prado: Pintores y familias reales / Painters and royal families playing cards.
España Imperial
España imperial / Imperial Spain playing cards with artwork by Serny, published by Heraclio Fournier, Spain, 1983.
Medieval Life playing cards
‘Medium Aevum’ (Medieval Life) playing cards designed by Violeta Monreal, published by Heraclio Fournier c.1988.
American Civil War playing cards
American Civil War centennial playing cards designed by Teodoro N. Miciano and published by Fournier, Spain, 1961.
Naipes Heraclio Fournier 130th Anniversary
Baraja conmemorativa del 130 aniversario de naipes Heraclio Fournier (1868-1998) Spain, 1998.
Gaudí playing cards
Gaudí playing cards with photography by Ramon Manent, Spain, 2002.
Ases de la pintura / Masters of painting
Ases de la pintura / Masters of painting playing cards made by Naipes Comas, Spain, c.1990.
The Teddy deck
The Teddy deck designed by UK artist Peter Wood, 2004.
Gaudí poker
Gaudí poker playing cards illustrated by Josep Opisso, Spain, c. 1992.
Bar Nightjar
Nightjar, a destination for discerning drinkers to meet, linger and relax.
Empics playing cards
Photography from the UK and around the world, past and present.
Greenpeace anti-nuclear playing cards
Greenpeace anti-nuclear pack with facts and figures, United Kingdom, 2003.
Art Genius playing cards
Art Genius playing cards with illustrations by Rebecca Clarke and published by Laurence King Publishing Ltd, London, 2018.
![Testament [classic edition]](http://www.wopc.co.uk/core/cache-wopc-thumbs/countries/usa/uspcc/testament-0.ced30a9b.jpg "Testament [classic edition]")
Testament [classic edition]
Testament playing cards [classic edition] designed by Ben Green, 2020.
Sherlock Holmes illustrated playing cards
Sherlock Holmes playing cards with illustrations by Sidney Paget, United Kingdom
Skyline cards: London edition
Skyline cards: London edition, featuring iconic architecture, United Kingdom, c. 2018.
Shakespeare finely illustrated playing cards
Shakespeare playing cards with illustrations by Sir John Gilbert RA, United Kingdom.
Scarfes Bar playing cards
‘Scarfes Bar’ satirical playing cards with cartoons by Gerald Scarfe, United Kingdom.
Emanuelle
‘Emanuelle’ erotic transformation playing cards designed by Patrick Cuenot, 1986.
British Political Images
Playing cards depicting British political images from the Bodleian Libraries.
Oxford Pubs playing cards
Oxford pubs souvenir playing cards, United Kingdom, 2008
The Forces’ Favourites
The Forces’ Favourites playing cards with glamorous illustrations by David Wright, United Kingdom, 2006.
Collectors pack of Antiques
Collectors pack of Antiques playing cards published by Collectors Cards, Abertillery, South Wales, c.1980.
Buffalo Trace
Buffalo Trace Kentucky bourbon whiskey promotion playing cards, 2014.
Sleeperhold Publications
Sleeperhold Publications collaborative art playing cards.
Philosophy Football playing cards
Philosophy Football playing cards, United Kingdom, 2002
Art for Life
Art for Life playing cards illustrated by Francesc Artigau i Seguí for the British Red Cross, 2014.
Folio Society Clare Mackie playing cards
Folio Society Clare Mackie playing cards with playful and charming designs.
Versus playing cards
Versus collaborative art playing cards vol.1 & 2, United Kingdom, 2010-2011.
Monkey Shoulder playing cards
Monkey Shoulder whisky advertising playing cards, United Kingdom.
W.C. Fields Commemorative playing cards
W.C. Fields Commemorative playing cards, USA, 1972
Tulsa City-County Library System Annual Report
Tulsa City-County Library System Annual Report playing cards, USA, 1983.
Red & White Wine playing cards
Red & White Wine playing cards published by Inkstone Design, USA, 2003.
Stars of Country Music
Stars of Country Music playing cards with non-standard suit symbols, USA, 1995
1906 Earthquake
Facts, figures, stories and scandals about the 1906 Earthquake published by the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy.
Hooray for Hollywood
‘Hooray for Hollywood’ movie star playing cards produced by Parody Productions, USA, 2006.
New Orleans Suits
New Orleans Suits playing cards designed by Eddie Tebbe, USA, 1999.
The Cooper Union
The Cooper Union caricature playing cards illustrated by Gerry Gersten, United States, c. 1987
Washington Wine
Washington Wine illustrated playing cards, USA, 2004.
Crop Circles collectable playing cards
Crop Circles collectable playing cards with photography by Lucy Pringle, United Kingdom, 2007.
Commedia dell’Carte
Commedia dell’Carte political transformation cards illustrated by Stef van Stiphout, Belgium, 1977.
Unisex playing cards
Unisex playing cards produced by the Unisex Playing Card Company, Ontario, c.1982.
Rembrandt playing cards
Rembrandt playing cards published by the Rembrandthuis (The Rembrandt House Museum) in Amsterdam.
Museum of Modern Art
Museum of Modern Art playing cards designed by Takenobu Igarashi.
Ethics Education playing cards
Ethics Education playing cards produced by the Centre for Military Ethics at King’s College London, 2016.
Les Grands Ecrivains
‘Les Grands Ecrivains’ produced for members of “Le Grand Livre du Mois”, France, c. 1970.
Life playing cards: tobacco education
‘Life playing cards: tobacco education’ anti-smoking deck, USA, 2003.