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 →
Éditions Philibert: Cancan
Lightly risqué playing cards designed by Pierre Albarran and published by Éditions Philibert, 1956
Egbert Moehsnang
A postmodern juxtaposition of traditional hand-made artisan technique with abstract graphical design...
Mitelli ‘Gioco di Passatempo’
Il Gioco di Passatempo contains 40 figurative playing cards depicting moral virtues and vices, dated 1690
Mitelli ‘Gioco di Passatempo’
Giuseppe Maria Mitelli (1634-1718) designed and published at least 2 card games.
Hafez Fortune Telling Cards
Fortune Tellers use the Hafez Cards by interpreting the Hāfez poems printed on the card backs when cards are selected randomly by their consultants.
Bodegas Trapiche
Large sized promotional playing cards produced for Bodegas Trapiche, Argentina, c.1998.
Coimexpor, c.2008
Coimexpor Spanish-suited playing cards by Industria Gráfica Pesout, S.A., Buenos Aires, Argentina, c.2008
Cigarrillos Roldan, Peru, 1890
Cards from a fantasy publicity pack for the Peruvian tobacco company Roldan y Cia, San José 66, Lima. c.1890
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 →
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Stars
Film Star Playing Cards for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer published by De la Rue & Co., 1933.
L. P. Holmblad, c.1845
The artwork provides a fascinating insight into the creative processes at work between pencil drawings and the finished playing cards.
Renée Sturbelle
Artistic playing cards with abstract cubist designs by Renée Sturbelle, first published by Brepols S.A., Turnhout, 1947.
Inner Realms Tarot
Saleire is an Irish artist and tarot reader who wants to bring the tarot into the future for teenagers and readers to reflect this day and age.
Quantum
Quantum playing cards were designed by Catherine Geaney in 2010 for her final year at college.
History
Antique playing cards reflect past eras and ways of life. So what do the oldest surviving playing cards look like? View More →
Master of the Playing Cards
Animal suited playing cards engraved by the Master of the Playing Cards, Germany, c.1455-60
