Editor’s Picks
Playing cards have enormous educational value, with a long history and many diverse types and graphical styles from around the world... View More →
Dondorf's “Stuart Period”
Another of Dondorf's beautiful period costume decks, this example is subtitled “Stuart period”.
Wüst: Oval Patience No.240
C. L. Wüst Oval Patience Karten No. 240, beautifully printed by chromolithography, c.1910
Taro Okamoto (1911-1996)
Japanese artist Taro Okamoto (1911-1996) was noted for his abstract and avant-garde paintings and sculpture.
Russian “Maya” playing cards
“Maya” playing cards were designed by Russian artist V. M. Sveshnikov and first published by The Colour Printing Plant, St Petersburg, in 1975.
Art & Design
Playing cards have been with us since the 14th century, when they first became a part of popular culture. Over the centuries superb artwork, graphic design and self-expression has been hidden within packs of cards. View More →
Warburg Luxus Bridgekort
“Luxus Bridgekort” was designed by Barbara MacDonald for Warburg of Denmark in c.1930, and printed by the Universal Playing Card Co. Ltd.
Karl Gerich
Karl Gerich produced a unique range of hand-made playing cards during the period 1980-1998.
Manufacturing Processes
Innovations in printing technologies have impacted the appearance of playing cards. View More →
Stencilling
Printing of Playing Cards ::: Stencilling can usually be detected by observing the outlines of the coloured areas which are often irregular with brush strokes discernible in the coloured areas.
Manufacture of Cards
Article about Manufacture of Playing Cards, 1825: pasting, stencilling, polishing, cutting, etc.
Cartomancy
Playing cards are used for fortune-telling, predicting the future or even as a psychological adjunct to folk medicine and therapy. The tradition goes back many centuries.
Naipes La Estrella, c.1954
Naipes La Estrella Spanish-suited playing cards made for BOLS gin by Igor Domicelj, Buenos Aires, c.1954
Monarch Bicycle, 1895
Monarch Bicycle playing cards are an early example of non-standard designs used for advertising, 1895.