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Palekh by Aleksey Orleansky

Published September 13, 2014 Updated April 05, 2024

In the style of religious icon paintings, these court card figures wear costumes reminiscent of the mid-17th century.

2014 Russia Colour Printing Plant Orleansky Fashion & Costume Palekh

Right: one of the Jokers and the two extra cards from “Palekh” traditional style Russian playing cards with artwork by Aleksey Orleansky, printed by the Colour Printing Plant, 1995. 52 cards + 2 Jokers + 2 extra cards in single or double boxes.

Above: four back designs.

Supplement

The Colour Printing Plant edition unfortunately contained some distorted colours. Orleansky issued a second edition of the deck in 2015. The deck has 36 cards, 2 jokers and three extra cards. See the box

Footnote from Peter Burnett

In 2003 Orleansky published a folder entitled "Souvenir matches: playing cards Palekh traditional style" containing 18 empty flattened boxes of souvenir matches (5cm x 5cm). Each box depicted one of the 12 court cards, 4 aces or 2 jokers that were published by the Colour Printing Plant in 1995. The folder additionally shows 6 pip cards and also repeats the text by Demidenko on the inside cover of the folder. See the folder

Souvenir matches: playing cards Palekh traditional style Souvenir matches: playing cards Palekh traditional style

Above: Souvenir matches: playing cards Palekh traditional style.

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