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Published March 09, 1998 Updated July 24, 2023

List of Argentinian Playing Card Manufacturers

List of Argentinian Playing Card Manufacturers from the 19th and 20th centuries.

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LIST OF ARGENTINIAN PLAYING CARD MANUFACTURERS
from the 19th and 20th Centuries

Manufacturer / Fabricante
Address / Dirección

Approx datespan
Fecha aprox.

M.J. Gandarillas y Socios
Manzana 48, n°395, Buenos Aires

1815-1817

José Maria Quercia y Possi
Buenos Aires

1815-16

Fray Solano García
Concepción del Uruguay, Entre Rios

1816

Eugenio Molina
Buenos Aires

1818-??

Eugenio Balbastro
Calle del Retiro, Buenos Aires

1819-??

Carlos Varangot
Buenos Aires

1831

Carlos Minetto & Cia
Buenos Aires

c.1880-1890

M. Girbano

1890-1900

Francisco Girbau & Cia
Piedad 2260 & Cangallo 2686, Bs.As.

1890-1930

J.F. Sánchez

c.1890-95

Martin Sanchez y Cia
Bahia-Blanca

c.1900

La Primitiva, Fabrica de Naipes
Moreno 248, Bs Aires
Victoria 3179, Bs As.
Defensa 125, Bs. As.

1878-
c.1920

Cia General de Fósforos
California 1270, Bs.As.

1889-1929

Cia Gral Fabril Financiera (formerly Cia Gral Fósforos)
Iriarte 2035, Bs.As.
Also: California 2098, Bs.As.

1929-c.1975
c.1975-77

F.X. Schmid Argentina
Aristóbulo del Valle 1257, C.P. 1295, Bs.As.

c.1975-1980

Joker S.A.I.C. (formerly distributors, successors to B. Domec, early cards made by F.X.Schmid)
Formerly: Tacaurí 127, Bs.As., also Perú 420, 3er Piso, Bs. As.
Now: Chorroarín 1068, Bs.As.

1977-present

Alvarez Holmberg y Cia
Senillosa 157, Bs.As.

c.1950-1970


Fourvel, Luis A. & Cia
Independencia 3742, Bs.As.

c.1930-1960

Partido Peronista (Dupuy)
Viamonte 2534, Bs.As.

1951

Conrado & Carlos Camilloni
Planes 1048-50, Bs.As.

c.1940-1950


Flaiban & Camilloni Lda
Victoria 3228-3252, Bs.As.

1936-42

E. Flaiban S.R.L.
Alberti 282, Bs. As.
Esperanza 646-50, Bs. As.
Administración, Depósito y Ventas: Corrientes 3679, Bs. As.

1943-1952

Paisanito S.R.L (Sucesores de E. Flaiban S.R.L.)
Esperanza 646-50, Bs. As.
Rio Limay 1527-29, Bs. As.

1952-3

E. Flaiban S.A.C.I.
Fábrica: Santa Rosa 4061, Florida F.C.G.B.
Ventas: Venezuela 1949 & 1949/55, Bs. As.
Administración y Ventas: Mario Bravo 525-9

1952-1970

Franco, E. P.
Emilio Mitre 382 / Planes 1048-50, Bs.As.

1942-1955

Chemmes, Eduardo Antonio
Olazabal 1473-75, Bs.As.

1950-1960

Bedaumine Hnos
Cnel Niceto Vega 5577, Bs.As.

c.1950-1960

Mario Colombo
Rodriguez Peña, Bs.As.

1940-c.1970

Della Penna, Carlos
Rondeau 3241 & Rondeau 3225, Bs.As.

c.1940-1978

G. Berger
Calle Alsina 373, Bs As

1935-195?

Casa Escasany
Casilla Correos 116, Bs.As.

1930s-40s

Apeles S.A.
Crespo 2759, Bs.As.

1950s

Nascal S.R.L.
Paisandu 760, Bs.As.

c.1960-80

Cappellano Hnos
Sarmiento 1537, Bs.As.

Orestes A. Cappellano, S.R.L.
Sarmiento 1537-43, Bs. As.

Orestes A Cappellano de Jorge C. Oneto
Florencio Varela 542, Villa Martelli, Bs.As.

Cappellano S.A.
Florencio Varela 542, Villa Martelli, Bs. As.

c.1920-35

 

c.1935-60

c.1960-65

 

c.1965-85

Editorial Kier

1960-1980

Justo Rodero
Rio de Janeiro 935, Bs.As.

Justo Rodero e Hijos S.R.L.
Av. Angel Gallardo 136/40, Bs.As.
Fabrica: Rio de Janeiro 935, Bs.As.


Justo Rodero e Hijos S.A.I.C.
Fabrica: Rio de Janeiro 935, Bs.As.
Ventas: Av. Fco Beiro 3855-59
Also: Av. Dorrego 611-23, Bs.As., C.P. 1414

Now: Casino Justo Rodero e Hijos S.A.I.C.

c.1930-69


1970-1972


1973-1979


1979-present

Naipes La Banca

c.1975-1985

Naipes Castilla

c.1980-1985

Offset Sacerdoti, S.A.
Mario Bravo 933, Bs. As

1941 - present

Obsequios Empresarios Argentinos
Avda Belgrano 124, 3er piso, Bs.As.

1965-present

Juegos Victoria (Jugetes Royal)

c.1965-75

Adans S.A. (Artes Gráficas)
Acevedo 320, Bs.As.

1982

Editorial Gráfica Flores
Buenos Aires

c.1975-90

Igor L. M. Domicelj
Tejedor 256, Buenos Aires

c.1945-55

Fabrica de Naipes VIGOR S.R.L.
(formerly Igor L. M. Domicelj)
Tejedor 256, Bs.As.
Tejedor 244-56, Bs.As.

1955-c.1975

Virgo S.C.A.
San Pedro 5770, Bs.As.

c.1975-80

Gráfica 2001 - Naipes La Española Fantasio (formerly Vigor S.A.)
Lavalle 2001, V. Maipú, San Martin.

1998-present

Plastigal Juegos S.R.L. (distributors for Gráfica 2001)
Pasaje Talavera 5845, Bs.As.

1999-2001

Anonymous manufacturers or brands

1940s onwards

Arlequin

1970s

Clark's

1970s

Cromg S.A.

1970s

Cromy S.A.

1983-95

Difusora S.A.

1980s

Impresores S.C.A.

c.1975-present

Argenar

1980s

Taller 4

c.2000

Kolorit

1998

Asociart

c.2000

Gráfica S.A.

c.1960-1998

Distigráfica S.R.L.
Pasteur 313, 1er piso, of. "A", Buenos Aires

1997-2005

Promo Games

1998-2007

Arco Iris Producciónes Gráficas
Av. Diaz Velez 986 - Villa Sarmiento, Bs.As.

1999

Editorial Perfil
Chacabuco 271, Código Postal 1069, Bs As

1999-2000

Plastirama Co.
Buenos Aires

 

Artes Gráficas Reywal S.R.L.
P. Medrano 1257, Los Polvorines, Bs. As

1989 - present

El Tripero (imprenta)

1998

Bahía Graf (imprenta)

??-present

Industrias Gráficas Pesout S.A.
Chaco 2265, Valentín Alsina, Lanús, Buenos Aires

c.1990-present

Feroleto (Los Remos)

2002-??

Zecat

1994-present

Ministerio de Salud de la Nación (Ministry of Health)

1992-present

IMPORTERS

Since the end of the monopoly of the Real Fábrica de Naipes de Macharaviaya (Spain) in 1815, there have been a number of importing agents, as well as manufacturers from other countries, who have imported playing cards into Latin America. Cardmakers in the U.S.A. for instance (particularly Dougherty and the U.S.P.C.Co) have tended to care for their minority populations, particularly the Latin-American ones. Belgian cardmakers have exported cards to South America since the mid-19th century; these had a distinctive style of their own.

Squeezers Box notice, c.1927

Above: No.35 Squeezers imported into Argentina by Bertrand Domec, whose details are overprinted on the Ace of Hearts, c.1927. Bertrand Domec had a long-standing relationship with the NYCCC and was their exclusive agent in the River Plate region.

Italian, German and French card makers are also known to have manufactured Spanish type packs. Versions of the Spanish Catalan pattern are found today in Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Paraguay, Honduras, Uruguay, Venezuela and Peru, whilst the 19th century Cádiz style is found today in Peru, El Salvador and Mexico. The "Castilian" pattern is found in Mexico, Chile, Argentina and El Salvador. Uruguay and Colombia also use the distinctive "Parisian Spanish" pattern.

Importer / Importador

Approx datespan

W. Kulka & Quinn,
Buenos Aires

1860s

Fló Hnos. y Cía,
Córdoba 963/987, Rosario

1901-??

Carlos G Balcarce,
Buenos Aires

1903

Flo. Ries & Cia,
Belgrano 1832, Buenos Aires

c.1910-20

Casa Jacobo Peuser Ltda,
San Martin 200, Buenos Aires

1867-1950s

Julio Laje,
Aconquija 2981, Buenos Aires

1930-1960

Pedro Desparbez
Buen Orden 263, Buenos Aires

c.1900-1903

B. Domec (Sucesor de Pedro Desparbez)
Buen Orden 263, Buenos Aires

1904-

Bertrand Domec (Importador)
B. de Irigoyen 263, Buenos Aires

c.1906-1926

Casa Bertrand Domec (Importadora)
Bernardo de Irigoyen 223, Buenos Aires

1926-1930

Casa Bertrand Domec de F. Fernández y J. Fagoaga (Sucesores)
B de Irigoyen 223

1930-35

Casa Bertrand Domec de Fagoaga y Fernández (Sucesores)
Tacaurí 127

1935-45

Casa Bertrand Domec de Fagoaga y Fernández
Tacaurí 127

1945-50

Casa Bertrand Domec de Fagoaga y Compañia (Sucesores)
Tacaurí 127 - taken over by Joker S.A. (see above)?

1950-70

Vicente y Mateos
Avda de Mayo 1248

c.1955-65

Gath & Chaves
(Bs Aires)

c.1920-30

Harrods (Bs Aires) Ltd
Florida 877

c.1930-50

Szulansky Hnos
Tucuman 2423, Bs. As.

c.1960-65

Ricardo Sopena
Corrientes 920, Buenos Aires
Maipú 30, Buenos Aires

c.1930

A. Di Bacco Importador
Paraguay 1525, Bs. As

c.1930s

Donnell & Palmer
U.S.A.

c.1920

Palmer & Cia (Sucesor de Donnell & Palmer)
Importador
U.S.A.

c.1930

Pedro L. Carrera - Importador

c.1950

New York Consolidated Card Co, c.1900-10c.1915c.1930-35

Above: The agent Bertrand Domec, whose fortunes can be followed through the changes of company name and address, was the exclusive agent of The New York Consolidated Card Company, U.S.A.  Brands such as "Squeezers", "Bee-92" and "Congress" were used in Argentina. Records from the Cádiz chamber of commerce confirm that 15,420 packs of cards were exported from Cádiz to Argentina in 1908; 5,860 packs in 1910 and 2,720 packs in 1937. Greater quantities than this were exported to Mexico, the Canary Isles, Cuba, Chile and the Philippines [source: Pérez González, 1995].

Comas y Ricart, Sebastian, Barcelona

c.1890-1930s

Chas. Goodall & Son Ltd, London

1860s-1920

John Waddington Ltd, Leeds & London

1940s

A. Dougherty, New York

1840-1920s

Consolidated Dougherty Card Co Inc., New York

1920-1940

E.E. Fairchild Corp., Rochester, N.Y.

1930s

The N.Y. Consolidated Card Co.

c.1910-1930

U.S.P.C.C.

c.1890-1990

Hija de B. Fournier, Burgos, Spain

c.1900-1978

H. Fournier, Vitoria, Spain

1940-2000

Biermans, Turnhout, Belgium

1870s-1930s

Brepols, Turnhout

1850s-??

Glénisson & Van Genechten, Turnhout

1860-??

Brepols & Dierckx, Turnhout

1890s

Piatnik, Vienna, Austria

1950-1980

Müller & Co, Schaffhouse, Switzerland

c.1850-1998

C.L.Wüst, Frankfurt

c.1910

B. Dondorf, Frankfurt am Main

c.1920s

A.S.S., Altenberg

1960-70

F.X. Schmid, Münich

c.1970-85

Anonymous, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, India

c.1980-present

 
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1,433 Articles

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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