Russian Four Seasons
“Seasons” playing cards designed by U. P. Ivanov and published by The Colour Printing Plant in St Petersburg.
Originally titled “Seasons” or “Times of the Year” and first published by The Colour Printing Plant in St Petersburg in 1971, these cards were designed by artist U. P. Ivanov. Each suit is allegorical of one of the four seasons of Winter, Spring, Summer & Autumn.
The graphic design is clear, decorative and geometrical, with straightforward symmetry and colour coordination in each suit. The attributes of the court figures add a touch of the theatrical and enhance the symbolism of the seasons, giving a sense of drama and overall integration to the design. The Joker's masks provide the means of transformation from one persona to another.
Note
A second version of this pack was issued in 1992 (or possibly earlier). There are several differences. Overall, the colours are stronger. The later printing has larger indices. Whereas in the first printing the pip cards were plain, these are now decorated, each with a small scene or vignette in pale grey, with pale blue (black suits) or pale yellow (red suits) shading in two corners. The Joker now has similar pale yellow shading but the black border line has been removed. There is a new back design, featuring a stylised owl in the centre. The 1992 printing which I have has a matt finish, while the 1993 printing has a glossy finish - R.S.
By Rex Pitts (1940-2021)
Member since January 30, 2009
Rex's main interest was in card games, because, he said, they were cheap and easy to get hold of in his early days of collecting. He is well known for his extensive knowledge of Pepys games and his book is on the bookshelves of many.
His other interest was non-standard playing cards. He also had collections of sheet music, music CDs, models of London buses, London Transport timetables and maps and other objects that intrigued him.
Rex had a chequered career at school. He was expelled twice, on one occasion for smoking! Despite this he trained as a radio engineer and worked for the BBC in the World Service.
Later he moved into sales and worked for a firm that made all kinds of packaging, a job he enjoyed until his retirement. He became an expert on boxes and would always investigate those that held his cards. He could always recognize a box made for Pepys, which were the same as those of Alf Cooke’s Universal Playing Card Company, who printed the card games. This interest changed into an ability to make and mend boxes, which he did with great dexterity. He loved this kind of handicraft work.
His dexterity of hand and eye soon led to his making card games of his own design. He spent hours and hours carefully cutting them out and colouring them by hand.
Related Articles
Woodblock and Stencil Jack of Clubs
A limited edition art print of the Jack of Clubs 1984 woodblock joker.
Woodblock and Stencil King of Diamonds
A limited edition art print of the King of Diamonds 1984 woodblock joker.
Woodblock and Stencil Joker
A limited edition art print of the 1984 woodblock joker.
Woodblock and Stencil Jack of Hearts
A limited edition art print of the Jack of Hearts 1984 woodblock joker.
Paco Lobo
Highly original and striking designs by Paco Lobo for the fashion house of the same name.
Wedding of Krechinsky • Свадьба Кречинского
A pack of cards depicting characters from the famous play "The Wedding of Krechinsky" by Sukhovo-Kob...
Jeu Boléro
Sweeping, semi-abstract designs by J.L. Jolin in red and black only.
Knoll International
Geometric designs by the French artist Jean Garçon for Knoll International, the furniture company.
Marcello Morandini
Modern designs by Italian artist Marcello Morandini using the simplest of forms and colours.
Claude Weisbuch
Free reinterpretation of the traditional Paris pattern courts by the artist Claude Weisbuch.
El Niño de las Pinturas
Forty-nine distinctive works by Spanish graffiti artist Raúl Ruiz.
Russian folk art playing cards
Russian folk art playing cards produced by Natalia Silva, USA, 2017.
Branle playing cards
‘Branle’ playing cards inspired by a 12th-century dance, produced by Noir Arts, USA, 2015.
Pendleton playing cards
Pendleton playing cards inspired by indigenous American artwork, USA, 2019.
Old School Playing cards from Moon
Designed and published by Leo Scherfig
Tarot of the Thousand and One Nights (1001 Nights Tarot)
This tarot deck captures the idealised Eastern world's magic from the eighteenth and nineteenth cent...
ORIENT The Queen of Cards
A unique Art creation of Subho Tagore
Newtropolis and the Fantastic Fur
Newtropolis and the Fantastic Fur: Heroes vs. Villains playing cards illustrated by Peter Wood, 2015...
Baraja Española de Pintores Murcianos
A Spanish-suited pack as conceived by 48 different artists from the region of Murcia.
Le Jeu d’Issy
Bold designs by Jacques Auriac representing people and enterprises for which the town of Issy-les-Mo...
Bilder zum Tarot
Detailed pen and ink drawings of the major arcana by the German artist Helmut Wonschick.
Le Jeu de la Chance
Original designs by French artist Jean Vérame, with clubs replaced by four-leaf clovers to bring goo...
Theatre of Pain / Teatr Boli
Theatre of Pain / Teatr boli playing cards depicting politicians and leaders in the Caucasus territo...
Secretos de Oriente
Secrets of the Far East playing cards featuring the designs of Violeta Monreal , Spain, c. 1991.
Ases de la pintura / Masters of painting
Ases de la pintura / Masters of painting playing cards made by Naipes Comas, Spain, c.1990.
CCCP playing cards
Soviet and other Communist celebrities depicted on every card, designed by Vladislav Pankevitch.
Museum of Modern Art
Museum of Modern Art playing cards designed by Takenobu Igarashi.
Festa Major de Vilafranca 1988
Colourful figures associated with the annual festival held in Vilafranca, Catalonia.
Russian criminal tattoos and playing cards
Russian criminal tattoos and playing cards, United Kingdom, 2018.
Crystal Time
Colourful and attractive designs by Violeta Monreal, inspired by stained glass through the ages.
Lidia Schöffer art-deco playing cards
A prize winning design from The Netherlands
World of the New Russians
‘World of the New Russians’ (Mir novykh russkikh) satirical playing cards, 2002.
C-Arts
Collective Arts pack designed by sixty-three collaborating artists, illustrators and designers, Russ...
Ministry of Emergency Situations
Emergency response playing cards published by the Kombinat Tsvetnoi Pechati (Colour Printing Combine...
Castle Rock Club
Castle Rock Club playing cards featuring Russian rock stars and musicians, c. 2000.
Treasures of the Hermitage / Shedevry Ermitazha
‘Treasures of the Hermitage Museum’ souvenir playing cards (‘Shedevry Ermitazha’), Russia.
Trading Mart
‘Trading Mart’ playing cards published by RusJoker, St Petersburg, 2005.
Chinese Opera Masks Playing Cards 脸谱
Three different packs of cards featuring traditional Chinese face painting and Chinese opera masks.
Oude Kunst (Old Art) playing cards with Wüst courts
made for export to the Netherlands.
History of the Russian Revolution
A pack of playing cards about the Russian Revolution, USA, c. 2021.
Russian Playing Card History - From the Beginnings to 1917
An in-depth review of the history of card-playing, gambling, legislation, manufacture and taxation o...
Russian Playing Card Monopoly
The Russian Playing Card Monopoly was established in March 1798 with all revenue going to support th...
Anti-Fascist cards, 1943
Satirical Anti-Fascist cards designed in 1943 by Ivan Ivanovich Kharkevich.
Russian Playing Cards
Playing cards were known in Muscovy as early as the last quarter of the sixteenth century.