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Published November 03, 2014 Updated February 19, 2023

Artistas del Cine

Advertising pack designed by J. Passos and first printed by Cromografía Irández, Barcelona, c.1926. Re-printed in 1995.

1926 Catalonia Spain Cromografía Irández J. Passos Advertising Movies & Film Add to Collection

Spanish advertising playing cards often featured cinema personalities. An early example was drawn by J. Passos (whose monogram appears on the 12 of clubs) and printed by Cromografía Irández, Barcelona, c.1926. The cards feature movie stars from different eras framed inside or amongst the suit symbols. The pack was re-issued in 1995 as “Centenario del Cine” commemorating 100 years of Cinema to coincide with “El Papel y El Cine” exhibition in Elche, 1996.

The backs of the cards have a floral pattern with three panels. The central, diamond-shaped panels contain a concise “History of Hairstyles” with forty-eight styles, the latest dated 1926. The other two panels were used for advertising messages.

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By Simon Wintle

Member since February 01, 1996

Founder and editor of the World of Playing Cards since 1996. He is a former committee member of the IPCS and was graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal for many years. He has lived at various times in Chile, England and Wales and is currently living in Extremadura, Spain. Simon's first limited edition pack of playing cards was a replica of a seventeenth century traditional English pack, which he produced from woodblocks and stencils.


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