Wiener pattern

Published August 09, 2010 • Updated July 04, 2023

The Vienna pattern, or Wiener Bild, is a distant relative of the early Lyons pattern. The King of Hearts carries a scroll in his hand.

Austrian ‘Wiener’ pattern

The Vienna pattern, or Wiener Bild, a distant relative of the early Lyons pattern, is sometimes nicknamed 'Large Crown' on account of large crowns on the Kings. The King of Hearts carries a scroll in his hand (at first glance it looks like a fan), the Queen of Diamonds sniffs a flower and the King of Spades has a banner bearing the manufacturer's name.

This pattern first appeared in the early 19th century in this characteristically 'geometric' style. The pattern has always been double-ended and mostly in 32-card format, usually without corner indices. It is still produced today by Piatnik of Vienna.

Right: four cards from the Vienna pattern, or Wiener Bild, printed from engraved plates by Titze & Schinkay, mid-19th century.

Below: ‘Schnapskarten Nr.1700’ (Large crown) made by Ferd Piatnik & Söhne, Vienna, 1978. 24 cards in box►

Above: cards from 32-card Vienna pattern, or "Wiener Bild" pack, manufactured by Mathias Koller, Vienna, c.1815.

Small Crown

Above: Piatnik Small Crown pattern, 1970s. 52 cards + jokers. Courtesy Rex Pitts.

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