"...the tribal god Huitzilopochtli commanded that the Mexica tribe should settle in the place where an eagle perched on a cactus bush was to be found attacking a serpent..."

EXICO shares a long tradition with Spain in the field of playing cards. In 1583 one Alonso Martínez de Orteguilla was authorised to administer the manufacture and sale of playing cards in New Mexico (which included Mexico, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Honduras). Local production was effectively suppressed and cards supplied from Seville (Spain) and France, as well as manufactured in Mexico under licence.

When Mexico re-gained independence in 1821, local manufacturers were free once again to produce their own cards, although cards also continued to be imported. Throughout the 17th - 19th centuries packs were mostly in the Spanish National pattern. These were followed by others such as the 'Llombart' or 'Plumed Hat' style, the Cádiz and Catalan types, Fournier's Castilian design, as well as new Mexican designs.

One of the more influential, and widely plagiarised, Mexican designs has been Clemente Jacques' "Marca GALLO" playing cards, first published in the 1920s and still produced today by Pasatiempos Gallo S.A. de C.V. Other manufacturers include Bartolo Borrego, Emilio Cuenca, F. Munguia, P. Munguia, La Cubana S.A., Enrique Guerrero, Gómez Gómez Hermanos, Comercial y Manufacturera S.A., Productos Artísticos Osiris, Pronaco, Productos Leo S.A., Naipes El Rey, Productos Gacela, Juegos y Fichas S.A. de C.V., Productos Camacho, Orpamex (Organización Papelera Mexicana S.A.), Productos El Cisne, Anahuac, Naipes El Venado, Naipes Ramar, Casa Velux S.A., Miguel Salas S.A., AGSA Comercial S.A., Gráficas Menhir S.A., Multicolor S.A., Promociones Tauro, Foliproa S.A., Norte S.A., Mercurio Comunicación S.A. and other anonymous makers.

 
Thanks to Juan José Pérez-Castejón, Dudley Ollis, Enrique García Martín and Haaije Bijl for their collaboration.

© The World of Playing Cards.