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.
Liban Historique et Touristique
“Liban historique et touristique” souvenir of Lebanon playing cards manufactured by Heraclio Fournier.
Histoire de France
“Histoire de France” facsimile of French historical deck of 1820.
Maldives pictorial playing cards
Maldives pictorial souvenir playing cards produced by Fantasy, of Malé, Maldives, 1993.
McCain Presidential 2008 playing cards
John McCain and Sarah Palin Presidential playing cards, USA, 2008.
Hillary Presidential playing cards, 2008
Hillary Clinton Presidential playing cards for the US presidency in 2008.
Obama Presidential playing cards, 2008
Obama Presidential playing cards, USA, 2007.
La Cour Galante
‘La Cour Galante’ playing cards with erotic images by Costante Costantini, Italy, 1979.
Calcio Storico Fiorentino
‘Calcio Storico Fiorentino’ by Costante Costantini is based on an early form of football that originated during the Middle Ages in Italy.
Centenario Nascita Benito Mussolini
Playing cards to commemorate the centenary of Benito Mussolini's birth, Italy, c.1983.
Cinquantenario Fondazione dell'Impero
50 anniversario / cinquantenario fondazione dell'Impero, Italy 1936-1986.
Pack of Cocktails
Pack of Cocktails playing cards published by Figure Dynamics in 1985.
Shape Up
“Shape Up” playing cards designed by Anthony Harris published by Figure Dynamics in 1985.
Bank of England playing cards
Bank of England playing cards, reflecting prominent characters and events from the Bank’s history.
Cadbury Heritage Collection
Cadbury Heritage Collection playing cards, United Kingdom, 1998.
Lecardo
‘Lecardo’ playing cards, dominos & word building game invented by Stanley Kermode, United Kingdom, c. 1939.
Cryptic Cards
Cryptic cards created by Immy Smith, United Kingdom, 2017
Welsh Cavalry
Welsh Cavalry commemorative playing cards with illustrations by Dan Peterson, 2012.
Animal Aid playing cards
Animal Aid playing cards with anti-shooting cartoons created by Steve Hutton.
Odd Bods playing cards
Odd Bods playing cards illustrated by Jonathan Burton, United Kingdom, 2012.
The Mrs. Forster Collection
Playing cards featuring original botanical paintings by Mrs. Sidney Eliza Forster from the 1890s.
Pack of Diets
“Pack of Diets” healthy lifestyle playing cards by Waddingtons Games for Figure Dynamics Ltd. in 1984.
Bell’s Patience playing cards
Bell’s Patience playing cards, United Kingdom, 2006
Glenfiddich the independent spirit
Glenfiddich whisky advertising playing cards from Scotland, United Kingdom.
Whyte & Mackay Lucky Lions
Whyte & Mackay Lucky Lions playing cards, United Kingdom, 2017
History of the Russian Revolution
A pack of playing cards about the Russian Revolution, USA, c. 2021.
Radical playing cards
Radical playing cards, identifying radical characters from history, United Kingdom, 2021
Think smoking heroin is safe?
“Think smoking heroin is safe?” harm minimisation playing cards.
Lose the smoke Keep the fire
“Lose the smoke Keep the fire” playing cards to help quit smoking, published by Nicotinell, 2007.
Cycle all over London
Cycle all over London playing cards published by Transport for London Street Management, 2003.
War on AIDS
War on AIDS playing cards published by ActionAid, United Kingdom, c. 2004.
Harold Samuel Collection playing cards
The Harold Samuel Collection of Dutch and Flemish seventeenth-century artworks, United Kingdom, 2012.
Better drug laws now
“Better drug laws now” campaign playing cards issued by Release, United Kingdom.
White House of Cards
“White House of Cards” produced by Peter Dunlap-Shohl, USA, 2017.
Hillary Presidential playing cards, 2016
Hillary Clinton Presidential playing cards, USA, 2016
Oliver North’s Pack of Lies
“Oliver North’s Pack of Lies” produced to help defeat Oliver North in his bid for Senator of Virginia, USA, 1994.
Trump Presidential playing cards
Trump Presidential playing cards by Parody Productions, USA, 2015.
Deck of Reagan
“The Deck of Reagan” political playing cards produced by NewsMax Media Inc. in 2004.
Politipack ’88 playing cards
Politipack ’88 produced by Robert Billingsley, USA, 1988.
Executive Deck
Executive Deck, otherwise known as “the Nixon Deck”, USA, 1973.
John F. Kerry Presidential deck
John F. Kerry Presidential playing card deck in support of his election campaign of 2004.
Presidential Poker
Presidential Poker playing cards, USA, 2004.
LBJ Texas playing cards
LBJ Texas playing cards, each card contains different historical facts about Texas, USA, 1966.
Russian Playing Card History - From the Beginnings to 1917
An in-depth review of the history of card-playing, gambling, legislation, manufacture and taxation of playing cards in Russia.
Russian Playing Card Monopoly
The Russian Playing Card Monopoly was established in March 1798 with all revenue going to support the St Petersburg Foundling Hospital. After the construction of the Foundling Hospital's own factory in 1817 (known as the Imperial Playing Card Factory), all subsequent Russian playing card prod...
W Deck
“W Deck” playing cards poking fun at President Bush, USA, 2004.
Joker’s wild: Dubya’s trick deck
“Joker’s wild: Dubya’s trick deck” satirical playing cards published by Seven Stories Press in 2004.
Gee Duh-bya
“Gee Duh-bya” parody playing cards, highlighting the President’s peculiar use of language.
52 reasons to re-elect George Bush
“52 reasons to re-elect George Bush” political playing cards published in 2004.
George W. Bush Presidential Deck
George W. Bush Presidential Deck, USA, 2004.
Grover Cleveland Presidential Campaign of 1888
Grover Cleveland Presidential Campaign playing cards of 1888, USA, [reprint 1980].
Bush cards: carefully stacked deck
“Bush cards: carefully stacked deck”, USA, 2003.