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.
Naipes Victoria Gaucho-themed pack, c.1975
Naipes Victoria Spanish-suited, gaucho-themed pack celebrates the culture and traditions of the gauchos.
Naipes y Casinos Industria Peruana
Naipes Tipo Español “Naipes y Casinos” Industria Peruana.
Nascal S.R.L., Buenos Aires, 1960-80
Nascal S.R.L., Buenos Aires, 1960-80.
Nascal S.R.L., Buenos Aires, 1960-80
Nascal S.R.L., Paisandu 760, Buenos Aires c.1960-80, manufacturers of plastic playing cards.
Native Indian Hand-made Cards made on rawhide
Native Indian hand-made cards made on rawhide.
Navío Extra
Naipes Navío Extra, La Cubana, S.A. (Fabrica de Naipes El Aguila), Mexico, c.1960
Naypes Finos made in Belgium
Belgian manufacturers were competing against Spanish makers. Features of the traditional Spanish designs, including many well-known brands, were imitated or plagiarised.
O. Gibert, Paris c.1840-60
Gibert was a master card-maker whose fashionable playing cards were of a very high standard.
OBD Playing Cards made in Peru
Spanish-suited playing cards printed by OBD, S.A., Lima, Peru, 1976.
Owen Jones (1809-1874)
Owen Jones (1809-1874) was a Welsh architect and interior designer who designed the backs of playing cards for Thomas de la Rue.
Pachimon Playing Cards
Quirky Pachimon playing cards from 1970s Japan, featuring unique monsters and aliens, given away with Kewpie mayonnaise.
Panama playing cards
Not a lot of playing cards have been produced in Panama, only a couple of locally-produced tourist souvenir packs.
Paraguayan Playing Cards
Playing Cards in Paraguay
Pavias Playing Cards made in Peru
Pavias playing cards made in Peru, c.1990.
Peruvian Football playing cards
Football playing cards made in Peru.
Peruvian Playing Cards
Playing cards have been travelling from Spain to South American colonies ever since Christopher Columbus.
Peruvian Souvenir Playing Cards
Assorted scenes from Peruvian landscape, architecture and culture published by Jan Mer S.A.C., c.2000.
Peter Flötner, c.1545
Seven cards from a satirical pack produced by Peter Flötner of Nuremberg, c.1545. The suit symbols are acorns, leaves, bells and hearts. The block-cutter and publisher was Franz Christoph Zell.
Phelippe Ayet, 1574
49 assorted cards were found hidden in the lintel of a doorway, in an old building in Toledo, during demolition, and are now preserved in the the Museo de Santa Cruz de Toledo.
Phelippe Ayet, c.1574
Archaic, late medieval Spanish-suited playing cards printed by Phelippe Ayet, c.1574.
Piatnik & Sons for the“Estanco de Naipes del Perú”
Playing Cards made by Piatnik & Sons for the“Estanco de Naipes del Perú”, c.1960.
Picture Show — Zodiac Fortune Telling Cards
Zodiac Celebrities fortune-telling cards presented with 'Picture Show' magazine, 1930. The cards were printed in black and red and supplied as uncut sheets inserted into the magazine.
Pippoglyph
Pippoglyph Playing Cards by Ben Crenshaw © 2004
Playing Cards and Religion
Early engravers and print makers made devotional images for pilgrims and people who could not afford paintings or books. Many of these craftsmen turned their hand to manufacturing playing cards to earn extra income. Today playing cards are often produced to spread religious messages, teachings or fo...
Playing Cards by Compañia General de Fósforos
Playing Cards by Compañia General de Fósforos, Bs. As. (founded 1888).
Playing Cards by J J Nunes
Playing Cards by J J Nunes, Lisbon, Portugal
Playing Cards from Ecuador
There has been very little playing card manufacture in Ecuador. Cards are mostly supplied from Colombia, Argentina & Spain. Known brand names include: Willy Wilson, La Raspa and El Heraldo. Some locally-made tourist souvenir packs are also known including Naipe Ciudad de Quito and Galapagos Islands ...
Playing Cards from Ireland
During the nineteenth century playing cards were being produced in Dublin, Cork and Limerick.
Playing Cards from Mexico
MEXICO shares a long tradition with Spain in the field of playing cards and also merges two completely distinct cultures, ancient indigenous cultures and modern Spanish colonialism.
Playing Cards in El Salvador
Cards were first imported to Central America from Spain, although local production has always existed. Today El Salvador has some local production of playing cards, which are often of rudimentary quality.
Playing Cards in Honduras
Honduras shares a long tradition with Spain in the field of playing cards.
Playing cards in Morocco
The earliest literary references to playing cards in Europe refer to the game having been introduced by a 'Saracen', and also to Moorish and Damascene varieties of playing card.
Playing Cards in other cards
Secondary applications of playing cards.
Playing cards in Puerto Rico
Playing cards in Puerto Rico.
Playing cards in the Upper Rhine region
Documentary evidence suggests that card playing established itself in Italy in 1376, and then spread rapidly northwards across the Alps into the Upper Rhine regions of Germany and Switzerland and westwards into France and Spain.
Playing Cards in Venezuela
Naipes “El Torero” No. 1000 manufactured in Caracas by Productos Nacaral C.A., c.1975
Playing cards in Wales - Welsh playing cards
Whereas the distinctiveness of Wales is an important resource contributing to the rich texture of variety which characterises the island of Britain, to date no Welsh playing cards cards have been found which were actually manufactured in Wales.
Playing Cards manufactured by The US Playing Card Co for the Estanco de Naipes del Peru
Playing cards manufactured by The US Playing Card Co for the Estanco de Naipes del Peru, 1920s - 1950s.
Poker Taurino
Baraja Taurina was published by Enrique Guerrero, c.1950. Subsequently published as Poker Taurino by Clemente Jacques y Cia, S.A.
Polaires - Foreign Legion Playing Cards
A Bridge-style deck featuring Foreign Legion paintings by Maitre Rosenberg.
Polish Playing Cards
Poland has been involved in playing card production since the 15th century.
Politicards 2000 by Action Publishing
Politicards 2000 features 54, full colour, caricatures of the candidates, politicians and political pundits shaping the American presidential elections in 2000
Popular heroes and celebrities
Miniature children's playing cards depicting popular heroes and celebrities on the backs, Montevideo, c.1928.
Portuguese Conjuring Playing Cards
Portuguese Conjuring Playing Cards, c.1850.
Portuguese Playing Cards
The Real Fábrica de Cartas de Jogar was founded in 1769, by Royal Charter of King José, under the master craftsman Lorenzo Solezio, brother of Félix Solesio who ran the Spanish Real Fábrica at Macharaviaya.
Portuguese Type Cards made in Belgium
Portuguese Type Playing Cards made in Belgium, c.1878.
Portuguese Type Playing Cards c.1860
10 cards from a pack of later Portuguese ‘Dragon’ type cards from c.1860, with the Maid of batons about to club a dog.
Portuguese Type Playing Cards made in Belgium
Portuguese type pack with ‘dragon’ aces made in Belgium by Mesmaekers Frères, Turnhout, c.1875-1900.
Prof. Franciszek Bunsch
Prof. Franciszek Bunsch, Polish playing-card designer.