Simon Wintle
- Spain • Member since February 01, 1996
I am the founder of The World of Playing Cards (est. 1996), a website dedicated to the history, artistry and cultural significance of playing cards and tarot. Over the years I have researched various areas of the subject, acquired and traded collections and contributed as a committee member of the IPCS and graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal. Having lived in Chile, England, Wales, and now Spain, these experiences have shaped my work and passion for playing cards. Amongst my achievements is producing a limited-edition replica of a 17th-century English pack using woodblocks and stencils—a labour of love. Today, the World of Playing Cards is a global collaborative project, with my son Adam serving as the technical driving force behind its development. His innovative efforts have helped shape the site into the thriving hub it is today. You are warmly invited to become a contributor and share your enthusiasm.
Caballos Argentinos
“Caballos Argentinos” playing cards with photographs of horses and ponies on each card.
Wilhelm Busch (1832-1908)
Wilhelm Busch was a German caricaturist and humourist. Many card games made in Germany use his characters.
Andersons of Edinburgh
Andersons of Edinburgh began publishing playing cards in the late 1920s and several brands are known, including ‘Clan Tartan’, ‘Masquerade’ and ‘Thistle’
Mapuche Indian Playing Cards
Spanish-suited playing cards made on rawhide and said to have been used by Chilean Mapuche Indians, XVI-XVII century
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Happy Families
“Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” Happy Families.
Porterprint Ltd
Porterprint was a printing business based in Leeds (UK) which manufactured playing cards during the period c.1930-1980.
Stancraft
Stancraft Playing Cards were manufactured by Brown & Bigelow of whom they were a subsidiary.
Hoyle
A subsidiary of Brown & Bigelow was established in 1927 to bring Hoyle products to the retail market. The Hoyle brand was acquired by the United States Playing Card Company in 2001.
Tela de Araña
Naipes “Tela de Araña” by Flaiban S.A.
Poker Paisanito
“Poker Paisanito” manufactured by E. Flaiban S.R.L., c.1943.
Naipes Galgo
Naipes Galgo by Ernesto Flaiban, Buenos Aires.
Fake Blanchard Ace of Spades
Fake Blanchard Ace of Spades with court cards based on Hall.
La Baraja Constitucional
The “Baraja Constitucional” commemorates the declaration in Cádiz of the Constitution of 1812 and was designed and created by Simón Ardit y Quer in 1822
La Baralla Espanyola de Regió 7
“La Baralla Espanyola de Regió 7”, created by Jaume Capdevila and Helena Rovira for Edicions Intercomarcals SA in 1996, depicts caricatures of Spanish politicians from that era.
Krienser Fasnachts-Jass 1988
The Krienser Fasnachts-Jass deck was designed and published by Léon Schnyder from Kriens for the 1988 Fasnacht Carnival
Birkel Schwarzer Peter
The Birkel company has produced several promotional “Schwarzer Peter” packs over the years and this one is themed on the circus.
Philishave
Spanish-suited advertising deck for Philishave electric razors.
Oliver Mundy tarot
Original Tarot designs in Italian Renaissance style by Oliver Mundy.
Pop Rocky
“Pop Rocky” miniature playing cards with double-ended caricatures of celebrities and pop stars, originally published inside a magazine, c.1970.
Quantum
Quantum playing cards designed by Catherine Geaney.
Líneas de Nazca
“Líneas de Nazca” souvenir playing cards, Peru, c.2008.
Grand Jeu Lenormand
A pack of 54 playing-cards for fortune-telling each card containing a number of zodiacal, classical and modern images with a miniature card of the conventional type at top left and a letter of the alphabet at top right.
Daveluy
Daveluy produced card games between c.1840 and 1890. Many of his playing cards are in neo-medieval style with landscape backgrounds.
The Great Galumphus
The “Great Galumphus” card game from the 1920s shows various comic animals with their names printed alongside, designed by Miss Jessie Veal.
Cartomancia Astrología Quirologia Tests
A set of rather unusual and non-standard cartomancy cards from Argentina with religious connotations and imaginative artwork
Old Bavarian pattern
Uncut sheets of playing cards of the Old Bavarian pattern by Michael Schatzberger, Passau, c.1780.
Bodegas Trapiche
Promotional playing cards produced for Bodegas Trapiche, designed to play Quartet games by collecting a wine bottle card with four matching glasses.
Jewish Card Game
Judaism is the oldest of the great monotheist religions, parent of Christianity and Islam.
XV Century Catalan playing cards
XV Century Catalan Playing Cards, featuring four female Sotas, four Aces and four cards from the suit of batons.
Naipes Merlín
“Naipes Merlín” produced by Kit Produccion y Diseño S.A., Argentina.
Paparazzi Pin-up Deck
Pin-up deck given free with Paparazzi magazine, 2005
Deportistas Guipuzcoanos
Guipuzcoa’s best athletes of the twentieth century, playing cards sponsored by El Diario Vasco and Euskaltel, manufactured by Heraclio Fournier, 1999.
Parke-Davis Pharmaceuticals
Parke-Davis Pharmaceuticals, c.1998 & Bodegas Trapiche, 2003.
Circus Transformation Cards
Deluxe Limited Edition Circus Transformation Deck designed by F. Robert Schick, 1988
Cotta Transformation playing cards
In 1804, J.G. Cotta, a publisher and bookseller in Tübingen, Germany, produced the first set of transformation cards that was published as an actual deck of playing cards.
Naipe Estilo Español “Siglo XXI”
Naipe Estilo Español “Siglo XXI” created by Florencia Marotta, 2005.
Li River Souvenir
Li River Souvenir Playing Cards from China.
Snap
Snap, the Old Original Game, has captured the imaginations of children for over a century!
Kamarát Toy Cards
Kamarát miniature toy playing cards from Czechoslovakia.
Glorious Colección 1995
Spanish-suited playing cards featuring the ‘Glorious’ ladies swimwear collection for 1995, designed by Estudio Fileni/Mendióroz.
German Saxon Pattern
The German Saxon Pattern or “Schwerdter Karte”.
Bohemian Pattern
The Bohemian Pattern, sometimes called the Prager Pattern, has roots in the 16th century.
Czechoslovakia
The Republic of Czechoslovakia was founded in 1918 from the former Austro-Hungarian empire.
Czech Hussite Deck
Czech “Hussite” Pack engraved by Karel Hoffmann and first printed by Jan Ritter in 1895.
Prague 1908 Jubilee
This special pack of playing cards, published in 1908, was available at the Jubilee Exhibition held in Prague.
Marché 7 Familles
“Marché 7 Familles” Happy Families card game published by France Cartes
De Reszke Cigarettes “What the Stars Say”
De Reszke Cigarettes “What the Stars Say” astrology cards issued by J. Milhoff & Co., 1934.
Side Car
Luis Fourvel's standard English style Naipes Side Car, with the distinctive motorcycle Joker were published over several decades.
Estelares
Naipes Estelares playing cards manufactured by Luis A. Fourvel y Cia., Buenos Aires, early 1950s.
Naipes Tango by Arco Iris
Naipes Tango by Producciónes Gráficas Arco Iris, 1999.
Falta Envido
Naipes Argentinos para Truco "Falta Envido" created by Alberto Soifer with Gaucho courts and variant suit symbols, 1982.