Dietsche Playing Cards for the Dutch Shipping Company
A beautiful early pack from The Dutch Playing Card factory.
The Netherlands produced some excellent and beautiful playing cards in the first part of the twentieth century, although these are not often described in much of the available literature. Nico van Berkel & Bob Haleber (known as the magic duo Niberco brothers) together with Lex Rijnen & Arno Sinselmeijer, were the first to publish a catalogue of playing cards produced by the Dutch playing cards factory in 1986. In recent years Joop Muller has created the online Speelkaartenmuseum where the the full production of the Amsterdam factory can be seen. The factory started out with the name Nederlandsche Speelkaartenfabriek, which existed from 1909 until 1912. After going broke it was restarted as Speelkaartenfabriek Nederland which ran on until 1969 after which is was taken over by Van Genechten in Turnhout, Belgium, soon to become part of Carta Mundi.
The deck shown here, known as Dietsche playing cards, is in my opinion, one of the nicest from their early production. Printed in chromolithography it has colourful court cards in Dutch style costumes from around 1600. This particular pack was made for the Scheepvaartmaatschappij Nederland (Dutch Shipping Company) with aces depicting international cities with harbours frequented by the company. The ace of hearts shows the ship S.S.Vondel which was built in 1907. The reverse of the cards shows the SMN logo of the company. The box describes the pack as ' Salonkaart Whist'.
Why the cards were registered as ' Dietsche Kaart' is unknown, but maybe this was the name of the designer. The cards were available from 1909 until 1914.
The standard version of the Dietsche Kaart was issued with illustrated aces showing heraldic style representations of a shield, tower, castle and a ship. These are shown at the end of this article.
Below: the reverse of the cards and the box.
Below: the aces from the standard edition together with the reverse of the cards and box.
All cards shown are from the collection of Paul Symons ©
By Paul Symons
Member since February 01, 2016
I'm British but I have now lived in the Netherlands for more than 50 years and am still enjoying every minute of it. I started collecting playing cards in the early 1980’s after speaking with my neighbour who was at that time a croupier in a casino. I started with just collecting jokers, but that soon led me to complete packs of cards and eventually to specialising in old and antique playing cards, particularly those of C.L. Wüst of Frankfurt, Germany. I am presently the Dutch representative of the I.P.C.S. and the auctioneer at the IPCS conventions.
Related Articles
Woodblock and Stencil Jack of Hearts
A limited edition art print of the Jack of Hearts 1984 woodblock joker.
Woodblock and Stencil Joker
A limited edition art print of the 1984 woodblock joker.
Woodblock and Stencil Queen of Clubs
A limited edition art print of the Queen of Clubs 1984 woodblock joker.
Woodblock and Stencil King of Diamonds
A limited edition art print of the King of Diamonds 1984 woodblock joker.
Sally Ferries playing cards
Sally Ferries Euro playing cards and phrase pack, United Kingdom, c.1990s.
Compagnie Maritime des Chargeurs Réunis
French navigators and explorers on a promotional pack for the C.M.C.R shipping company.
Een Kaartspel
Minimalist playing cards from The Netherlands
Specsavers playing cards
to help you see better when playing cards
De Tarot in de herstelde orde
“De Tarot in de herstelde orde” (The Tarot in the restored order) a re-ordered Rider-Waite tarot dec...
Marcel Ruijters Tarots
Two very remarkable tarots by the award winning Dutch cartoonist Marcel Ruijters.
American President Lines
American President Lines shipping souvenir playing cards, early to mid-1950s.
Goodall 1915-1916 Sample Book
Complete contents of a sample book by Goodall & Sons
Goodall 1916 Rockleigh Sample Book
Complete contents of a sample book by Goodall
De La Rue 1932-1933 Sample Book of Advertising cards
Complete contents of a sample book of advertising cards by De La Rue
Non-Standard playing cards from The Netherlands
by an unknown maker
Theatre of Pain / Teatr Boli
Theatre of Pain / Teatr boli playing cards depicting politicians and leaders in the Caucasus territo...
Rembrandt playing cards
Rembrandt playing cards published by the Rembrandthuis (The Rembrandt House Museum) in Amsterdam. ...
Lidia Schöffer art-deco playing cards
A prize winning design from The Netherlands
Oude Kunst (Old Art) playing cards with Wüst courts
made for export to the Netherlands.
Dietsche Playing Cards for the Dutch Shipping Company
A beautiful early pack from The Dutch Playing Card factory.
Anonymous pack of Dutch playing cards
produced just after the end of the Second World War.
H.P. Doebele
Artist-designed playing cards produced to demonstrate the quality of a printing technique.
Art Nouveau Whist playing cards from a small Dutch factory
The factory probably only produced playing cards for a few years in the 1920's
Foragers playing cards
Playing cards to help to identify the edible and inedible gifts of nature.
Sigma Coatings
Advertising pack for a company supplying marine paints.
Lost Boys
Designs created on the occasion of a chess tournament in Antwerp, 1997.
Dutch Historical playing cards
Advertising for Mopenco, the Dutch Fountain Pen King
Lattmann No.9 playing cards
with illustrated views of Dutch cities on the aces. This pack is for sale or exchange.
Rapalje
Promotional pack for a Dutch Celtic folk band which performs Irish, Scottish and Dutch folk music, c...
Dutch costume playing cards from an unknown maker
Another pack of Dutch costume playing cards c.1880.
Dutch costume playing cards
Dutch costume playing cards made for the Dutch market in the second half of the 19th century.
Netherlands Kostuum Kwartet
Dutch costumes quartet game designed by Gerard Huijg, 1983.
Nederlands Stedenkwartet
Nederlands Stedenkwartet with heraldic needlepoint patterns by Permin, c.1970.
Zwarte Piet
Zwarte Piet by Dondorf for the Dutch market, 1906.
Zwanenberg’s Kwartetspel
Zwanenberg’s Kwartetspel printed by Speelkaartenfabriek Nederland, 1938.
Havermout Kwartetspel
“H-O Kwartetspel” children’s card game promoting quick cooking oatmeal (instant porridge), 1930s.
Asperge Kwartet
Asperge Kwartet published by Knorr.
Deutfracht Seereederei Rostock II
Maritime deck designed by Klaus Ensikat for Deutsche Seereederei Rostock, GDR.
Stationskwartetspel
Railway Stations quartet game illustrated by Wim Dolk and published by Servex BV, Utrecht, 1975.
Natuurkwartet
Nature Quartet game published by Staatsbosbeheer, printed by Roem Speelkaarten, Kampen.
Sprookjes Kwartet
Fairy Tales quartet published by Heinrich Schwarz + Co for Dutch market, c.1970.
Nationale-Nederlanden
Playing cards produced for Nationale-Nederlanden insurance company, 1984.
Neerlands Glorie
Neerlands Glorie Kwartetspel published by Hausemann & Hötte N.V, Amsterdam, 1945.
Verkeers Kwartet
Verkeers Kwartet by Nederlandse Spellenfabriek BV, Amsterdam, 1965.