The Belgian Spanish pattern
Above: 4 cards from a Spanish style pack made by Antoon Van Genechten, Turnhout, 1877. The attentive Belgian manufacturers exported large quantities of cards to Spain and South America. Van Genechten, for example, was producing 'Cartes Espagnoles' in packs of 40 or 48 cards, in various grades, since the 1850s.
Belgian manufacturers were competing against Spanish makers. Features of the traditional Spanish designs, including many well-known brands, were imitated or plagiarised. Often they were anonymous so as to avoid importation duties in the destination country.
© 2003 The World of Playing Cards.