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PLAYING CARDS
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Popular searches within the last 28 days: tarot Disney cartomancy de la rue
Russian Mamluk erotic Bicycle cats Fournier Political
Welcome to the World of Playing Cards, where we delve into the rich heritage and
history of playing cards, and the many ways in which they bring people together.
Playing cards have been shared and enjoyed for centuries for everything from
games and gambling to fortune-telling, magic and conjuring. Today they continue
to be a popular and educational pastime for people of all ages and backgrounds.
Playing cards combine many aspects of our history including paper-making,
printing technologies, innovation, symbolism, graphic design and how these have
changed over the years. Whatever your interest in cards, you'll find something
interesting here.
SEE THE BIG PICTURE
LE CARTE DI FORATTINI
Political caricatures by Giorgio Forattini published by Arnoldo Mondadori
Editore, Italy, 1993.
*
by Peter Burnett
* February 27, 2024 at 04:16pm
THE LOVERS PLAYING CARDS
Reproductions of old postcards with romantic messages for Valentine’s Day. •
Roddy Somerville
FREIMAURER SPIELKARTEN / MASONIC PLAYING CARDS
Masonic playing cards created by Ivan Wojnikow, 2004. • Peter Burnett
I GATTI ORIGINALI DI EVELYNE NICOD
Etchings of cats on a set of major arcana created by Evelyne Nicod. • Roddy
Somerville
CARTE OSTEOLOGICHE
Skulls and bones of all descriptions have become the suits and pips in this
40-card pack from Italy.... • Roddy Somerville
CARTES À JOUER FLUORESCENTES
Standard French cards but printed with fluorescent inks on a black background. •
Roddy Somerville
KNOLL INTERNATIONAL
Geometric designs by the French artist Jean Garçon for Knoll International, the
furniture company. • Roddy Somerville
SUBMIT
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SAN PAOLO CHEKHOV
Characters from Chekhov’s plays designed by Paolo Fresu for San Paolo Istituto
Bancario, Italy, c.1983.
Peter Burnett • 26 February 2024, 10:41
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE SEARCH FOR NEW GAMES IN THE LATE 19TH CENTURY
A few new games survived and are still around today; most came and went and are
only witnessed in the literature by the equivalent of a vapour trail.
Tony Hall • 25 February 2024, 15:58
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NORFIN® TROLLS
Troll dolls with gaudy hairstyles in a multitude of different costumes.
Roddy Somerville • 25 February 2024, 13:43
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IMPRESSIONIST ART CARDS
Details of 13 paintings by 8 different Impressionist artists on elongated cards.
Roddy Somerville • 24 February 2024, 10:21
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JEU DE LA VME
A political pack designed by Pino Zac and published in 1977 by Editions Arts et
Lettres.
Peter Burnett • 23 February 2024, 14:18
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
POSTAK – LAS POSTAS
‘Postak - Las Postas’ playing cards commemorating the history of the Basque
postal service, Spain, 1996.
Peter Burnett • 23 February 2024, 08:58
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ČZ PLAYING CARDS
Advertising pack for the Czechoslovak motorcycle factory Česká Zbrojovka.
Roddy Somerville • 22 February 2024, 19:13
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BOURBON BRIDGE
Attractive, woodcut-style courts adapted for modern play.
Roddy Somerville • 22 February 2024, 10:20
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STORIA DEL FASCISMO - GIOCO DI CARTE
‘Storia del Fascismo’ playing cards depicting persons, symbols and artifacts
associated with Italian fascism.
Peter Burnett • 21 February 2024, 22:03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MINIATURE CARD DOMINOES
A miniature set of Goodall domino cards (5.9 x 3.5 cms) still in perfect
condition.
Tony Hall • 21 February 2024, 16:12
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BISCHOFSZELL
Advertising pack for the food producer Bischofszell, designed by Heinz
Looser-Brenner, with non-standard suits.
Roddy Somerville • 21 February 2024, 12:17
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CALON ARANG • КАЛОН АРАНГ - БАЛИ
Calon Arang, a figure from 12th-century Javanese and Balinese folklore known as
a witch skilled in black magic, is the subject of a preserved manuscript at the
Royal Netherlands Institute. Калон Ар...
Александр Царёв • 21 February 2024, 07:31
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WEDDING OF KRECHINSKY • СВАДЬБА КРЕЧИНСКОГО
A pack of cards depicting characters from the famous play "The Wedding of
Krechinsky" by Sukhovo-Kobylina. Колода содержит изображения персонажей
известной пьесы Сухово-Кобылина "Свадьба Кречинск...
Александр Царёв • 21 February 2024, 06:28
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SOUVENIR OF SCOTLAND PLAYING CARDS
I'm just wondering weather you'd be able to help me? I noticed on your a...
Peter Hill • 21 February 2024, 05:53 • 1 Comments
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COULD ANYONE HELP IDENTIFY AND DATE THIS DECK PLEASE
I found these cards in an old box along with some old postcards etc and ...
Kellie Jane Gillott • 21 February 2024, 05:48 • 1 Comments
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JEU DES MÉDECINS
Cartoons of doctors and nurses by Pino Zac, published by B.P. Grimaud in 1983.
Peter Burnett • 20 February 2024, 09:35
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
T. DRAYTON & SON
Bezique and Whist boxed sets by T. Drayton & Son, London, c.1875.
Tony Hall • 20 February 2024, 09:30
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SCHEFFMACHER
Advertising pack for Scheffmacher, master painters in Schaffhausen, with comic
designs by Fritz Bünzli.
Roddy Somerville • 18 February 2024, 13:05
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HARTLEY’S CIRCULAR PLAYING CARDS
I have a full set of Hartley's Cir...
Andrew Serong • 17 February 2024, 12:03 • 1 Comments
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
QUERY ABOUT PLAYING CARDS
Hello! I have a query about two fr...
Isabella Rosner • 17 February 2024, 11:54 • 1 Comments
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EARLY FRENCH DECK MID 1800'S OR EARLIER?
I have a set of playing cards that my grandfather had but I don't know w...
Karen Taylor • 17 February 2024, 11:43 • 1 Comments
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CANASTA DECK (MEXICAN) OVER 60 YRS OLD
Anything that you can tell me about this old game deck that my parents h...
Lloyd • 17 February 2024, 11:38 • 1 Comments
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HITCHCOCK
A deck of 55 cards, celebrating the master of mystery, murder and mayhem, Alfred
Hitchcock.
Ian Taylor • 17 February 2024, 09:12
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COLOUR DOODLE DECK
“1952-2002 commemorative deck” customised with doodles by an uncredited artist,
UK, 2011.
Peter Burnett • 16 February 2024, 18:20
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JEU BOLÉRO
Sweeping, semi-abstract designs by J.L. Jolin in red and black only.
Roddy Somerville • 16 February 2024, 10:59
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LE GISCARTE
Le Giscarte political playing cards designed by Eddy Munerol, France, 1976.
Peter Burnett • 15 February 2024, 13:28
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE LOVERS PLAYING CARDS
Reproductions of old postcards with romantic messages for Valentine’s Day.
Roddy Somerville • 13 February 2024, 23:13
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FREIMAURER SPIELKARTEN / MASONIC PLAYING CARDS
Masonic playing cards created by Ivan Wojnikow, 2004.
Peter Burnett • 13 February 2024, 12:06
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I GATTI ORIGINALI DI EVELYNE NICOD
Etchings of cats on a set of major arcana created by Evelyne Nicod.
Roddy Somerville • 12 February 2024, 12:58
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SAFETY PLAYING CARDS
Safety playing cards designed to reinforce the “Think and Be Safe” concept.
Peter Burnett • 12 February 2024, 10:13
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
POLITICARDS 2016 & POLITIKIDS 2016
Politicards™ 2016 & Politikids 2016: twin decks of satirical playing cards
produced by Peter Green for the 2016 presidential election.
Peter Burnett • 11 February 2024, 08:38
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
KNOLL INTERNATIONAL
Geometric designs by the French artist Jean Garçon for Knoll International, the
furniture company.
Roddy Somerville • 10 February 2024, 21:45
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CARTE OSTEOLOGICHE
Skulls and bones of all descriptions have become the suits and pips in this
40-card pack from Italy.
Roddy Somerville • 10 February 2024, 16:08
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MARCELLO MORANDINI
Modern designs by Italian artist Marcello Morandini using the simplest of forms
and colours.
Roddy Somerville • 10 February 2024, 14:25
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CARTES À JOUER FLUORESCENTES
Standard French cards but printed with fluorescent inks on a black background.
Roddy Somerville • 10 February 2024, 12:46
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
K DECK
“K Deck” political playing cards, USA, c. 2004.
Peter Burnett • 10 February 2024, 11:30
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TUXEDO PLAYING CARDS
Stylish ‘Tuxedo’ playing cards with animal faces created by Natalia Silva, USA,
2016.
Peter Burnett • 09 February 2024, 11:09
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE DECK OF HILLARY
‘The Deck of Hillary’ with quotes and photographs of Hillary Clinton, USA, 2003.
Peter Burnett • 09 February 2024, 11:00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SEMP PLAYING CARDS
Modified Anglo-American courts advertising a French medical publishing company.
Roddy Somerville • 08 February 2024, 11:31
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TAROT DE MADRID
Black-and-white photographs of models whose faces are made up using elements
found on the major arcana.
Roddy Somerville • 08 February 2024, 11:30
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SHAKESPEARE PLAYING CARDS: INSULTS
Shakespeare Insults playing cards with portraits by Jan Padover, USA, 2005.
Peter Burnett • 07 February 2024, 08:16
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WADDINGTON LINEN TENNANT'S STOUT DECK
I bought this pack of linen cards for .25 cents today at a thrift store ...
Jessica Campbell • 07 February 2024, 00:43 • 0 Comments
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SHAKESPEARE PLAYING CARDS: QUOTES
Shakespeare playing cards: Quotes, the first volume of a double set published by
Prospero Art of San Francisco, 2004.
Peter Burnett • 06 February 2024, 11:41
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ALICE IN WONDERLAND: WE’RE ALL MAD HERE
Alice in Wonderland themed playing cards, UK, 2020.
Peter Burnett • 05 February 2024, 09:43
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OLD CITY SCAPE LONDON WITH BRIDGE
The box the cards came in is brown wood grained paper thick over a card ...
Bryan Cook • 05 February 2024, 05:07 • 0 Comments
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JEU QUATRE EMPEREURS
Brazilian scenic aces with emperors of Brazil, Austria and France and other
dignitaries on the court cards.
Simon Wintle • 04 February 2024, 22:57
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PORTRAIT DE FRIBOURG
Fine reproduction of a Fribourg pattern pack, originally by Jean-Jacques Burdel.
Roddy Somerville • 04 February 2024, 13:36
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CLAUDE WEISBUCH
Free reinterpretation of the traditional Paris pattern courts by the artist
Claude Weisbuch.
Roddy Somerville • 04 February 2024, 12:58
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OLD TESTAMENT PLAYING CARDS
Old Testament playing cards with illustrations by Jan Padover, USA, 2012.
Peter Burnett • 03 February 2024, 12:53
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
109 COUNTRIES & PLACES
View All Countries
Africa Algeria Argentina Australia Austria Bahamas Belarus Belgium Bhutan
Bolivia Brazil Bulgaria Canada Catalonia Ceylon Chile China Colombia Cook
Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Czechoslovakia Denmark
Dominican Ecuador Egypt Estonia Ethiopia Europe Finland France Georgia Germany
Greece Greenland Guatemala Guernsey Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India
Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jordan Kenya
Korea Latin America Latvia Lebanon Lithuania Luxembourg Madagascar Malaysia
Maldives Malta Mauritius Mexico Mongolia Morocco Nepal Netherlands New Zealand
Nigeria Norway Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal
Puerto Rico Romania Russia Salvador San Marino Scandinavia Scotland Singapore
South Africa Spain Suriname Sweden Switzerland Tahiti / French Polynesia Taiwan
Thailand Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Ukraine United Arab Emirates United
Kingdom Uruguay USA Venezuela Vietnam (Việt Nam) Wales
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FROM OUR MEMBERS
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RODDY SOMERVILLE
435
View Articles
1972
ROK PLAYING CARDS
Distinctive designs by James Hodges for a clothing company.
1939
PARIS PATTERN FOR WWII TROOPS
Wartime edition of standard designs with fewer colours, a special back design
and an overprint.
2003
ANCIENT EGYPT PLAYING CARDS
Fully illustrated set of cards depicting various aspects of Ancient Egyptian
life and culture.
PAUL SYMONS
70
View Articles
1860
WÜST LENORMAND DECK, C.1860
Wüst Lenormand deck, c.1860
1930
ROCOCO WHIST-BRIDGE NR.53
printed by Flemming-Wiskott A.G. of Glogau
1942
LIDIA SCHÖFFER ART-DECO PLAYING CARDS
A prize winning design from The Netherlands
PETER BURNETT
475
View Articles
2020
ALICE IN WONDERLAND: WE’RE ALL MAD HERE
Alice in Wonderland themed playing cards, UK, 2020.
1976
LE GISCARTE
Le Giscarte political playing cards designed by Eddy Munerol, France, 1976.
1971
MEAL TUB PLOT
Meal Tub Plot playing cards [facsimile] with 17th century sketches by Francis
Barlow.
KEN LODGE
137
View Articles
44: AUSTRALIA
Two early makers, Thomas and Sands & McDougall, used courts copied from those of
the New York Consol...
ENGLISH MISCELLANEOUS
54: CHINA 1
Although many people would not consider Chinese cards worth collecting, the huge
variety of court de...
BARNEY TOWNSHEND
131
View Articles
1993
EPCS TRANSFORMATION
The English Playing Card Society's 10th Anniversary Transformation Playing Cards
designed and produc...
1874
INTERNATIONAL PLAYING CARDS
Designed by Reuben Townroe (1835-1911), the artist who designed the ornamented
terra cotta work on t...
1950
CASHMERE
Bernhard Altmann is from the “The House of Cashmere” and these playing cards
honour their best known...
REX PITTS (1940-2021)
773
View Articles
TRUMP 777
Trump 777 decorative playing cards by Hallmark.
1900
OOSEHE
‘Oosehe’ animal card game published by Woolley & Co, c.1900.
1954
ARIEL PRODUCTIONS LTD
The founder of Ariel Productions, Philip Marx, was a prolific publisher of
children’s books and comi...
ADAM WEST-WATSON
16
View Articles
1979
MORGAN-GREER TAROT
Based on the knowledge, wisdom and interpretation of Paul Foster Case and Arthur
Edward Waite.
1996
NEW PALLADINI TAROT
“The New Palladini Tarot” by David Palladini published by U.S. Games Inc., in
1996.
1970
THE AQUARIAN TAROT DECK
The Aquarian Tarot Deck illustrated by David Palladini, published by Morgan
Press, Inc., 1970.
ADAM WINTLE
151
View Articles
2023
THE TAROT STRIKES BACK
Roy Huteson Stewart's The Tarot Strikes Back combines Star Wars with Rider-Waite
tarot imagery.
2023
HOUSE OF TUDOR
Randy Butterfield's House of Tudor playing cards feature detailed art in a
high-quality collectible ...
2021
JACK-O’-LANTERN TAROT
Giuliano Costa's Jack-O’-Lantern tarot blends Rider-Waite symbolism with the
rich and atmospheric th...
SIMON WINTLE
1,432
View Articles
1883
JEU QUATRE EMPEREURS
Brazilian scenic aces with emperors of Brazil, Austria and France and other
dignitaries on the court...
1870
KINGS AND QUEENS OF BRAZIL & PORTUGAL
Historical playing cards by C. L. Wüst depicting monarchs of Brazil and
Portugal.
1825
MYTHOLOGICAL TAROT BY MICHAEL SCHATZBERGER
Mythological tarot by Michael Schatzberger, Passau, Bavaria, early 19th century.
THE HISTORY OF PLAYING CARDS
Playing cards arrived in Europe the late 14th century and rapidly became a part
of popular culture. Antique playing cards are like a visit to the local museum
and evoke images of past eras and ways of life and also demonstrate archaic
technology or production methods. So what do the oldest surviving playing cards
look like?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLAYING CARDS: A SECRET HISTORY
Playing Cards: A Secret History
1420
MOORISH PLAYING CARDS
These two uncoloured, uncut sheets of early Moorish playing cards were formerly
preserved in the Ins...
HISTORY OF PLAYING CARDS EXPLAINED IN 5 MINUTES
Video by Art of Impossible. In this video you will get a short overview of the
most important histor...
1611
GEORG KAPFLER
Antique deck of old Bohemian playing cards of the German type manufactured by
Georg Kapfler and date...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ART & DESIGN
Design Caricatures Abstract Cartoon Celtic Deco Jugendstil Renaissance Rococo
Surrealism
The playing card calls for artistic treatment and although the constrained size
imposes some limitations there is an almost bewildering wealth and variety of
designs in playing cards and their tuck boxes. The serious player requires
design to be unobtrusive so that aesthetic considerations remain in the
background. However, with modern manufacturing technology more eye-catching
designs are becoming popular as gifts, collectibles and for their attractive
appearance.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BENEDICTE MORAND-BAIL
Benedicte Morand-Bail’s striking and colourful abstract poker deck with French
named courts
CHINESE JOKERS
Chinese playing card makers have probably produced the widest variety of jokers
of any single part o...
CZECH INSURANCE COMPANY PACK
Czech Insurance Company cartoon pack
GÓ SUCCO
Gó Succo fruit juice promotion deck featuring Walt Disney cartoons.
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ORACLE, DIVINATION & TAROT
The art of interpreting divine omens - augury or reading karma - has since
ancient times been integral to political, civic and religious life.
More recently, Cartomancy and modern esoteric tarot packs have been produced in
a wide variety of conceptions and involve use of imagination and intuition to
assess one’s thoughts and feelings from the view point of the symbolic images
and numbers. It is possible for an object to be construed as a game in one
context, and as something other than a game in a different context.
Tarot, originally a 15th century card game, has evolved into a popular system of
personal mysticism, self-exploration and spirituality Learn more about tarot►
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1879
LA SIBYLLE DES SALONS
La Sibylle des Salons facsimile of 19th century deck published by J M Simon,
1979.
1770
FORTUNE TELLING PLAYING CARDS
English Fortune Telling cards probably published c.1770.
1960
ROLLA NORDIC TAROT
Rolla Nordic Tarot was drawn by Paul Mathison.
1850
TAROCCO MILANESI BY LAMPERTI (MILAN) C.1850
Tarocco Milanesi by Lamperti (Milan) c.1850
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CARD GAMES
Games Childhood Currency Educational Happy Families Jaques Quartet Snap Spelling
The games we play mirror the world we live in, like popular art. There was a
time when friends and family played indoor games by the fireside and enjoyed
countless hours of pleasure and amusement. Children don’t play card games so
much because they prefer computer games, the ultimate excitement. Antique and
vintage card games offer documentary evidence, as well as nostalgic memories, of
the social interaction, fashions and stereotypes of bygone days and are a study
in social anthropology.
French card games are mostly Jeux des Sept Familles. German games are often
pleasing on the eye, and they seem to favour quartet games. USA love quartets of
world worthies like authors, painters, composers. Games are not simply an escape
from the real world, they are also educational and provide a place to process
what it all means.
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HAPPY FAMILIES
Happy Families is probably one of the most popular card games ever invented,
with educational benefi...
1950
CONTRABAND
Contraband by Pepys Games was first published in early 1950s.
1908
SPELKA
Spelka, a word game published by John Jaques & Son Ltd, c.1908.
SPEAR’S OLD MAID
Spear’s “The Jolly Game of Old Maid” was introduced around 1900. The cards
contain some interesting ...
THE BIG PICTURE
Playing cards have a universal appeal and are a reflection of human culture.
Above: Chinese money-suited cards. Some of the earliest cards have origins in
the Far East.
Playing cards are a part of almost every culture and society around the world.
These small, rectangular pieces of paper have been a source of entertainment for
generations and are still enjoyed by people of all ages today. Whether it’s a
simple game of solitaire, a high-stakes game of poker, or a magic trick that
delights, there’s something about playing cards that captures the imagination
and inspires creativity. As Delef Hoffmann once said “whether we consider cards
as mere merchandise or as the bond which unites people with one another, just
think of what we would be if we had no cards! How boring and unsociable our
lives would be without this invention!”
Above: Dasavatara Ganjifa from India. Playing cards from India are often
circular.
The origin of cards can be traced back to China, where they were first used as
early as the 9th century. From there, the cards travelled across Asia and the
Middle East, and finally found their way to Europe in the 14th century.
Since then, playing cards have been used for a wide range of purposes, including
fortune-telling and even propaganda. But the most significant impact they have
had on humanity is through their use in games, which have brought people
together for centuries.
Above left: a set of Spanish playing cards from 1638 was discovered inside a
prison wall during demolition, likely used for gambling by prisoners. Above
center: Trump Presidential playing cards, playing cards are often used for
political messages. Above right: the Magician from the popualr Rider-Waite
tarot, which has become the template for modern tarot decks.
While playing cards have brought people together for fun and play, they have
also been a source of disruption in the form of gambling. For many, gambling has
become an addiction, leading to financial ruin and even anti-social problems.
The artistic value of cards cannot be overlooked, with their intricate details
and unique designs of each card reflecting the creativity and ingenuity of
artists. Playing cards are a reflection of our society, with each country and
region having its unique designs and styles. As Sylvia Mann put it “there are
fashions in cards, and these fashions very often reflect the history of the
times”. From the bold and colourful designs of India to the intricate and
detailed patterns of Russia, playing cards are a testament to the creativity and
diversity of the human experience.
Above left: Kashmir Playing Cards, above center: Ethiopian Air Lines playing
cards produced by Nintendo, above right: striking playing cards designed by
Masuo Ikeda.
Playing cards have a wide embrace, spanning across cultures and countries, with
a scope of diverse subjects that reflect the values and beliefs of their
respective societies.
Playing cards are an enduring symbol of human connection and creativity,
transcending language, borders and cultures. Through the power of games, they
have brought people together for centuries, creating shared experiences that
have fostered friendships, learning and social bonds. While their role in
gambling has been disruptive, their stunning artistic designs elevate them to
works of art, worthy of appreciation and admiration. Playing cards are a
testament to the power of human creativity and a reflection of the rich cultural
tapestry of our world.
REFERENCES
* The Playing Card, Delef Hoffmann, 1972
* Collecting Playing Cards, Sylvia Mann, 1966
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ABOUT THE WORLD OF PLAYING CARDS
Our aim is to increase awareness and appreciation of the cultural and historical
significance of playing cards.
The World of Playing Cards was established in 1996 as a place where you can
learn about playing cards, their history, design and manufacture, and see cards
from around the world.
Simon Wintle (right) with Adam Wintle (left) visiting Ayutthaya in Thailand,
2016.
They reflect the traditions of many countries. They vary widely in size, style,
shape, artistry, usage and many other purposes in education, marketing or even
for fortune telling. There is a fascination in playing card design: the neat
symmetries and quirky symbols. The composition of the pack - court cards, suits,
pips - provides endless scope of play.
They are recognised everywhere around the world - we rarely question their
origins.
Since their invention, cards have lost none of their popularity. Playing cards
have a long history and it's in the art that the richness of playing cards is to
be discovered.
Simon & Adam
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Increasing awareness and appreciation of the cultural and historical
significance of playing cards since 1996. See the big picture or learn more
about us.
Broaden your knowledge of playing cards and their rich history by joining the
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Latest Article
1993
LE CARTE DI FORATTINI
Political caricatures by Giorgio Forattini published by Arnoldo Mondadori
Editore, Italy, 1993.
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