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Published March 03, 2012 Updated July 11, 2023

Igor Domicelj, Buenos Aires, c.1945-55

Igor Domicelj commenced producing playing cards in c.1945. By the early 1950s the range had grown to include Naipes La Estrella, Barcelonesa, Chinita, La Española, Fantasio, Cartas Gitanas, Naipes Tipo Húngaro and a Jewish Quartet game.

Argentina Domicelj Barcelonesa Add to Collection
Igor L. M. Domicelj, fabricante de naipes

Igor Domicelj commenced producing playing cards in Argentina in c.1945. By the early 1950s the range had grown to include Naipes La Estrella, Barcelonesa, Chinita, La Española, Fantasio, Cartas Gitanas, Naipes Tipo Húngaro and a Jewish Quartet game. The design and content of these last three items suggests that Igor Domicelj may have had an Eastern European background - possibly Slovenian or Czech.

In 1955 the company changed to Vigor S.R.L. who continued to produce the full range of cards. Further details about Domicelj's early history are obscure, but there may have been an association with G. Berger.

The Patent Office Registration documents dated 22 June 1955 show the designs registered by Vigor S.R.L. for Naipes Fantasio at the time of the take-over.


Naipes Fantasio by Igor Domicelj, c.1950

Right: double set of Naipes "Fantasio" in bakelite box, manufactured by Igor L. M. Domicelj, c.1950.

Left: Naipes "Fantasio" made by Igor L. M. Domicelj, c.1950. The ace of hearts has a green 'Mercury' tax stamp.

Naipes Fantasio by Igor Domicelj, c.1950
1 Peso orange tax band, c.1950

Above: orange 1 Peso tax band from Naipes Fantasio manufactured by Igor L. M. Domicelj, c.1950. This was the tax for 'French-suited' cards.


Left & Right: Naipes Bols manufactured by Igor L. M. Domicelj, c.1954. This is the first advertising pack produced by Domicelj / Vigor.

Naipes La Estrella for Ginebra Bols, c.1954
Tax band, c.1954

Above: brown 50 Centavos tax band from Naipes Bols manufactured by Igor L. M. Domicelj, c.1954. This was the tax for Spanish-suited cards.


Above: Naipes "Tipo Húngaro" made by Vigor S.R.L, c.1955-60. The seven of bells has a green 'Marianne' tax stamp and gives the name of the manufacturer as Vigor S.R.L. The box states that Igor L.M. Domicelj is the manufacturer suggesting that old stock was being used up.

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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.


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