Navarra Pattern
Navarra Pattern produced for the Pamplona General Hospital Monopoly.
Playing cards had been produced for the Pamplona General Hospital Monopoly in the former kingdom of Navarra since 1631. As the monopoly contract was repeatedly renewed over time, and in order that cards could be differentiated from those of neighbouring kingdoms or tax jurisdictions, the designs became established as a regional pattern.
It is likely that wooblocks, and even completed packs of cards, were originally produced in France, before being produced in Spain, which explains why the designs contain features common to earlier, archaic French-made cards. Problems with the quality, as well as illegal imports, were often cause for disputes with cardmakers at the time of renewal of their contracts.

Above: ace of coins featuring the coat of arms of Navarra with a double-headed eagle and the inscription CON L(A) L(ICENCI)A DEL REINO, anonymous manufacturer, 1682. see more →
PEDRO VARANGOT, 1786
It is recorded that Pedro Varangot was married to Jeanne Darretche in Bayonne in 1743. Earlier packs attributed to him were made in Bayonne. see more →

Above: Navarra Pattern produced for the Pamplona General Hospital Monopoly by Pedro Varangot in 1786. Woodblock and stencil coloured. From the collection of Martín Pedro Marcos González. see more →
Unknown Cardmaker with initials I. I., 1793

Above: Navarra pattern by an unknown cardmaker, produced at the Pamplona Hospital Monopoly factory, dated 1793. From the collection of Gonzaga Gil-Delgado Friginal. See more →
CREDITS & REFERENCES
Ferro Torrelles, Víctor: Unos Naipes para el Reino de Navarra, in “La Sota” Nº44, Asescoin, Madrid.
Additional research by Alberto Pérez González.

By Simon Wintle
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.
Related Articles

Baraja de Juan Martín Zamorano
Deck inspired by El Pendón de los Zamorano, a military pennant dating from 1501, published by Priego...

Heráldica Castanyer No. 16
Strange variant of international pattern cards for poker or bridge.

Fantasy Spanish-suited deck
Fantasy Spanish-suited deck by Bertschinger y Codina, Barcelona.

Trappola cards from Poland
Trappola cards published in Warsaw by J G Du Port during the 18th century.

Bertschinger y Codina - Cartes Françaises
French ‘Paris’ pattern made by Bertschinger y Codina, Barcelona, c.1850.

Braulio Fournier
Baraja Nº 1 produced by Braulio Fournier, Burgos, c.1868.

Pirritx eta Porrotx
Happy Families card game from the Spanish Basque Country.

Naipe Vizcaino
‘Naipe Vizcaino’ designed by Javier Urkiri and published by Industrias Gráficas Castuera and the Caj...

Baraja Turística del País Vasco
Basque poker deck of 55 cards published by Fournier with scenic views of the Basque Country.

Baraja Vasca
Spanish Basque Country deck with original drawings by María Isabel Ibañez de Sendadiano.

Baraja Cultura Española
ASESCOIN pack for 2022 designed by M.A. Corella featuring famous Spaniards and notable buildings.

Laurenzo Propagine
Spanish-suited cards made in Italy by Laurenzo Propagine.

Jeu de 7 familles Les Dynasties d’Artisans Basques
Long-standing Basque businesses represented in a traditional card game with illustrations by Odile A...

Archaic Franco-Spanish pattern
Archaic Franco-Spanish pattern by Guillaume & Jean Grossard (Bordeaux).

La Baraja del Mundial
“La Baraja del Mundial” satirical football deck published by Fournier for ‘Interviú’ news magazine. ...

Rouen Pattern - Portrait Rouennais
An attractive XV century French-suited design from Rouen became the standard English & Anglo-America...
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 28 days