Famous Faces playing cards
Images of the great and the good to be found in the National Portrait Gallery, London.
The National Portrait Gallery in London opened in 1856. It was arguably the first national public gallery in the world dedicated to portraits. The Chandos portrait of William Shakespeare (JD) was the first painting to enter the gallery’s collection. Since 1969, portraits of living figures have been allowed, such as Kate Winslet (5H) and Michael Caine (3C). Included in this pack are portraits – paintings, drawings and photographs – of 52 different famous men and women from all walks of life. Each one is named. The four Jokers represent an easel, a camera, an artist’s tools and a paint palette.
Above: Famous Faces playing cards printed by Offason of Sweden for the National Portrait Gallery, London, UK, c2004. 52 cards + 4 different Jokers in drop-lid box. Size: 63 x 84 mm.
By Roddy Somerville
Member since May 31, 2022
Roddy started collecting stamps on his 8th birthday. In 1977 he joined the newly formed playing-card department at Stanley Gibbons in London before setting up his own business in Edinburgh four years later. His collecting interests include playing cards, postcards, stamps (especially playing cards on stamps) and sugar wrappers. He is a Past President of the Scottish Philatelic Society, a former Chairman of the IPCS, a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards and Curator of the WCMPC’s collection of playing cards. He lives near Toulouse in France.
Leave a Reply
Your Name
Just now
Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here.
Related Articles
Hamlet Cigars
Advertising deck for “Hamlet mild cigars”, a Benson & Hedges product.
Heathen Divinities
Handmade playing cards from the British Museum depicting classical Greek and Roman gods and goddesse...
1968 Worshipful Company Pack
Commemorating the Games of the XIX Olympiad, Mexico, 1968 (Master: Michael J. Amberg).
Royal Britain
Pack devised by Pietro Alligo depicting English monarchs from Alfred the Great to Elizabeth II.
Hand-drawn set of 52 playing cards
An imaginatively hand-drawn set of 52 playing cards by an amateur artist, 18th century.
Famous Faces playing cards
Images of the great and the good to be found in the National Portrait Gallery, London.
Go Go Gorillas!
Go Go Gorillas! charity playing cards sponsored by the Eastern Daily Press and the Norwich Evening N...
Hand-drawn transformation cards, c1875
A complete set of hand-drawn transformation cards from c1875, using a standard De La Rue pack.
Art pack, Austria
Renaissance portraits by Albrecht Dürer, Lucas Cranach, Hans Holbein, Barthel Beham, Christoph Amber...
Classification of Numeral Card Designs in French-suited packs
The classification of numeral cards in French-suited packs, covering various pip designs in over 400...
The Douce Collection
The Douce Collection of playing cards in the Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford.
The Henry Hart Puzzle
Explore the intricate history and unique design variations of Henry Hart's playing cards, tracing th...
Sissi playing cards
produced for the Austrian tourist market.
Playing Card Research Archives maintained by The Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards
The Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards maintains an extensive archive of materials from n...
The Art of Erté
Luxury playing cards displaying artwork by Erté, published in 1983 by Sobranie of London.
The Chamber of 52 Cards
Playing cards published by Peter Wood as a tribute to the rock band Genesis.
Trending Articles
Popular articles from the past 28 days
