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Simon Wintle

  • Spain • Member since February 01, 1996

Founder and editor of the World of Playing Cards since 1996. He is a former committee member of the IPCS and was graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal for many years. He has lived at various times in Chile, England and Wales and is currently living in Extremadura, Spain. Simon's first limited edition pack of playing cards was a replica of a seventeenth century traditional English pack, which he produced from woodblocks and stencils.

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1999 Self-Guided Tarot by Cameo Victor

Self-Guided Tarot by Cameo Victor

Human beings have always yearned to understand the experience of life. The knowledge that we seek is not really hidden, we each have to find it within ourselves.

1996 Self-Nurturing Solitaire

Self-Nurturing Solitaire

Self-Nurturing Solitaire is a deck of cards designed to improve Self-Esteem.

Self-Nurturing Solitaire

Self-Nurturing Solitaire by Idelle Jones,

Sicilian playing cards by Antonio Monasta

"Il Leon" Sicilian playing cards, 40-card pack based on Spanish designs, made in Sicily by Antonio Monasta, probably 17th century.

1628 Silk Inlaid Playing Cards for Charles I

Silk Inlaid Playing Cards for Charles I

Silk Inlaid Playing Cards for Charles I

1745 Silver Cards from Peru

Silver Cards from Peru

Spanish-suited silver cards, richly embellished and enamelled, from a former Spanish Viceroy in Peru, dated 1745.

Simeon Durá 1871-1940

Simeon Durá of Valencia was one of Spain's most distinguished playing card manufacturers, flourishing between 1871-c.1940.

1964 Simultané

Simultané

Simple geometric forms with an inner life and poetry emanating from the richness of colour, the musicality of rhythm, the vibrant breath of the execution...

1963 Skat by Franciszek Bunsch

Skat by Franciszek Bunsch

Skat pack designed by Franciszek Bunsch

1946 Small Tuscan Pattern

Small Tuscan Pattern

Small Tuscan Pattern

South American Gaucho Playing Cards

Gaucho Playing Cards from South America

1496 South German Engraver

South German Engraver

Conforming to an archaic format of 52 cards with banner 10s, female 'Sotas', horsemen and kings, the pack is of interest on account of a number of other packs with similar characteristics surviving elsewhere, suggesting an archaic variant of the Spanish-suited pack.

1720 South Sea Bubble

South Sea Bubble

The South Sea Bubble Playing Cards were first published in London by Thomas Bowles in 1720. The cards bear satirical portrayals of the speculators involved in the South Sea Bubble of 1720, providing a unique contemporary record of the feverish atmosphere of the time, as well as the fashions of dress...

Souvenir Playing Cards

Argentina publishes many tourist souvenir packs, usually with colour pictures on each card, and with either Spanish suit signs, or else Anglo-american ones, in each corner.

1896 Spanish Historical Characters playing cards, c.1896

Spanish Historical Characters playing cards, c.1896

Cards from the Spanish Historical Characters playing cards set printed by Litografía Madriguera (Barcelona), c.1896, which were inserted into packets of chocolate.

Spanish National Pattern

Probably originating in Spain in the seventeenth century or even earlier, this pattern became strongly established by the Catalan cardmakers Rotxotxo of Barcelona.

Spanish playing cards for Yerba Armiño

Spanish-suited playing cards for Yerba Armiño, anonymous manufacturer probably made in China.

Spanish suited pack for Nestlé

Spanish-suited pack produced by Chas Goodall & Son Ltd for South America.

Spanish-suited deck for the Estanco de Naipes del Perú

Spanish-suited playing cards printed for the Estanco de Naipes del Perú.

Standard and Non-standard Playing Cards

Standard playing cards are based upon traditional designs and are used for card games.

1840 Swiss French Suited Playing Cards, c.1840

Swiss French Suited Playing Cards, c.1840

French-suited playing-cards in the Paris pattern appeared in Switzerland around the end of the sixteenth century, when many Lyonnais cardmakers were driven away by heavy taxes.

1890 Swiss Mogul Cards, 1880-1890

Swiss Mogul Cards, 1880-1890

English type 'Mogul' playing cards manufactured in Switzerland by John Müller for export to India, c.1880-1890.

1860 Swiss Piquet Playing Cards, c.1850-60

Swiss Piquet Playing Cards, c.1850-60

Piquet playing-cards made by J. Müller, Diessenhofen, c.1850-60. The full-length court cards are following the French style.

1830 Swiss Playing Cards by David Hurter, c.1830

Swiss Playing Cards by David Hurter, c.1830

David Hurter had begun to build up a playing card business in Schaffhausen during the late 18th century.

1890 Swiss Regional Costumes Playing Cards, c.1890

Swiss Regional Costumes Playing Cards, c.1890

This Swiss Regional Costume pack can be seen as an early form of tourist souvenir which subsequently developed into the photographic souvenir pack.

1850 Swiss Scenic Ace Souvenir Cards, c.1850

Swiss Scenic Ace Souvenir Cards, c.1850

Souvenir pack with Scenic Aces made by Müller (Diessenhofen), c.1850.

1860 Swiss Scenic Ace Souvenir Cards, c.1860

Swiss Scenic Ace Souvenir Cards, c.1860

Souvenir pack with Scenic Aces made by J. Müller (Diessenhofen), c.1860. The courts are conventional figures based on French designs.

1875 Swiss Spanish-Suited Cards, c.1875

Swiss Spanish-Suited Cards, c.1875

Spanish-suited playing cards manufactured by J. Müller for export to Latin American countries, c.1875.

1885 T O Weigel, Leipzig, 1885

T O Weigel, Leipzig, 1885

Cards from a pack designed by Ludwig Burger, 1885

Taller Fotolitográfico, Chile

Spanish suited pack made in Chile by Taller Fotolitográfico, inspired by Fournier's classic 'Castilian' design, c. 2000

1850 Tarocco Milanesi by Lamperti (Milan) c.1850

Tarocco Milanesi by Lamperti (Milan) c.1850

Tarocco Milanesi by Lamperti (Milan) c.1850

1890 Tarocco Piedmontese by Fabrica de Naipes La Primitiva, Bs Aires

Tarocco Piedmontese by Fabrica de Naipes La Primitiva, Bs Aires

Tarocco Piedmontese by Fabrica de Naipes La Primitiva, Defensa 125, Buenos Aires c.1890.

1900 Tarocco Piedmontese, Buenos Aires c.1900

Tarocco Piedmontese, Buenos Aires c.1900

Tarocco Piedmontese by Fabrica de Naipes La Primitiva, Moreno 248, Buenos Aires c.1900

Tarocco Piemontese | Piedmontese tarot

The double ended version of the Piedmontese Tarot evolved during the second half of the nineteenth century, most probably in Turin. It is still produced and used today.

1970 Tarots Egipcios Kier

Tarots Egipcios Kier

The “Tarots Egipcios” was first published by Editorial Kier S.A. in c.1971 with Spanish titles, with a booklet (also in Spanish) explaining the cabbalistic meanings of the cards.

Teddy Bear playing cards & artwork

Teddy Bear playing cards & artwork, 1996.

2003 Tensho Mekuri - Japan

Tensho Mekuri - Japan

Tensho Mekuri cards hand-made by Patricia Kirk, 2003.

The ‘Parisian’ Spanish pattern

A version of the old Spanish National pattern which was manufactured by Parisian card makers in the 19th century for export to South America.

1728 The Beggars’ Opera

The Beggars’ Opera

The Beggars’ Opera Playing Cards were first published in 1728. The cards carry the words and music of the songs from Gay’s opera, which was intended as a parody of current Italian works. The music was taken from many popular tunes of the day.

1588 The Book of Trades by Jost Amman, 1588

The Book of Trades by Jost Amman, 1588

The Book of Trades by the prolific German Renaissance artist Jost Amman (1539-91). Suits are books, printers' pads, wine-pots and drinking cups.

1996 The Deal Playing-card Project

The Deal Playing-card Project

A deck of cards produced as a creative collaboration and made possible largely through volunteers and sponsorship of various kinds.

2003 The Enchanted Journey

The Enchanted Journey

The Enchanted Journey

The Enchanted Journey

Cards from the delightful Enchanted Journey playing-cards by Karen Curran of Australia.

The Five Minute Handwriting Analysis Kit

Handwriting Insights - the 5 minute handwriting analysis kit - allows you to better understand people, including yourself, by looking at the way they write.

1998 The Hemp Culture Playing Cards

The Hemp Culture Playing Cards

There is an underlying element of subtle humour in these cleverly designed playing cards, gently questioning the issue of legality.

2006 The Llewellyn Tarot - Welsh tarot cards

The Llewellyn Tarot - Welsh tarot cards

The Llewellyn Tarot - Welsh tarot cards

1950 The Monkey

The Monkey

‘The Monkey’ poker playing cards manufactured by M.C. de Casabó Ltda, Uruguay, c.1950.

The Peerless Playing Card Company, London c.1890

James English's playing card factory was re-named Peerless in around 1880 when the title Peerless Card Company appeared on the ace of spades.

1440 The Princely Hunting pack, c.1440

The Princely Hunting pack, c.1440

The Princely Hunting Pack, c.1440/45, is attributed to Konrad Witz and his workshop in Basle.

1460 The Visconti-Sforza Tarot, c.1460

The Visconti-Sforza Tarot, c.1460

This pack of tarot cards appears to have have been made in the Bembo workshop in Cremona for Bianca Maria Visconti, c.1460.

The Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards

The Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards was founded by Royal Charter in 1628.