El Barco
El Barco playing cards designed by E. Pastor, Valencia, Spain, c.1895
Illuminated playing Cards for Chocolates “El Barco” designed by E. Pastor and manufactured by Simeon Durá, Valencia, Spain, c.1895
Above: E. Pastor's magnificently illustrated Spanish suited playing cards specially designed for Chocolates 'El Barco' and printed chromolithographically by Simeon Durá, Valencia, c.1895. This pack is regarded by many collectors as the unsurpassed masterpiece of Spanish playing card production. E. Pastor also designed Simeon Durá's fantasy Castilian pack, which was later re-drawn to become the company's standard pattern.
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.
Trending Articles
Related Articles
Woodblock and Stencil King of Diamonds
A limited edition art print of the King of Diamonds 1984 woodblock joker.
Woodblock and Stencil Jack of Hearts
A limited edition art print of the Jack of Hearts 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 Jack of Clubs
A limited edition art print of the Jack of Clubs 1984 woodblock joker.
Absolut Deck
Promotional deck published for Absolut Vodka in Sweden.
Alice in Wonderland
Alice in Wonderland collector’s edition with illustrations of characters from the film, published by...
Kuzco, l’empereur mégalo
Notched cards featuring toys representing characters from the Disney film Kuzco, as offered by McDon...
Women by Royo
‘Women by Royo’ erotic playing cards published by Heraclio Fournier, Spain, 2001.
Hilti I
Promotional pack for Hilti power tools, with courts in medieval costume and non-standard pips.
Monuments de Paris
‘Monuments de Paris’ souvenir playing cards produced by Heraclio Fournier, c.1964.
Feh Schnapskarten
Colourful promotional pack for Feh household and toilet papers.
Liber Ludorum
Liber Ludorum playing cards created by Ian Cumpstey in the insular style, United Kingdom, 2019.
Hansaplast®
Advertising pack for Hansaplast, with comic courts sporting sticking plasters.
Lorilleux International
Promotional pack for Lorilleux International’s Lotus inks, with designs by James Hodges.
B. Braun-Dexon®
Publicity pack promoting B. Braun-Dexon’s atraumatic needles, with non-standard courts and pips.
Bibaraja
Amusing designs of boys as circus performers by Alberto Muñiz Sánchez.
Peintres Latino Americains
Original artwork by 18 different Latin American artists.
54 Affiches Retro
54 different old French advertising posters, mainly for travel and health products.
Paco Lobo
Highly original and striking designs by Paco Lobo for the fashion house of the same name.
Loewe: Moda Europea Siglo XVII
Luxury pack for the Spanish fashion house Loewe, with 17th century costume designs by Margot Hamilto...
Toros: De El Cordobés a Espartaco
Publicity pack for the Spanish newspaper Ya with caricatures of famous bullfighters by Fernan...
Baraja de Alava
55 different paintings by Emilio Lope depicting the history and culture of Vitoria and the province ...
Postak – Las Postas
‘Postak - Las Postas’ playing cards commemorating the history of the Basque postal service, Spain, 1...
ČZ playing cards
Advertising pack for the Czechoslovak motorcycle factory Česká Zbrojovka.
Bischofszell
Advertising pack for the food producer Bischofszell, designed by Heinz Looser-Brenner, with non-stan...
Scheffmacher
Advertising pack for Scheffmacher, master painters in Schaffhausen, with comic designs by Fritz Bünz...
Colour doodle deck
“1952-2002 commemorative deck” customised with doodles by an uncredited artist, UK, 2011.
Knoll International
Geometric designs by the French artist Jean Garçon for Knoll International, the furniture company.
SEMP playing cards
Modified Anglo-American courts advertising a French medical publishing company.
Tarot de Madrid
Black-and-white photographs of models whose faces are made up using elements found on the major arca...
Campari playing cards
Publicity pack for Campari, designed for the Portuguese or Brazilian market.
Hôtels-Grils Campanile
Publicity pack for the Campanile hotel and restaurant chain featuring French provincial costumes, wi...
Marlow playing cards
Visitor attractions and businesses to be found in Marlow, Buckinghamshire.
Naipes de Personajes Granadinos
Forty famous men and women with links to Granada, on a pack designed by Rubén Garrido.
El Niño de las Pinturas
Forty-nine distinctive works by Spanish graffiti artist Raúl Ruiz.
Brooks dna playing cards
Brooks dna playing cards produced by Gemaco for Brooks running shoes.
Golf playing cards
Golf playing cards published by Marks & Spencer, UK.
5th Kingdom playing cards
5th Kingdom Luxury playing cards designed by Maria Fedoseeva, USA, 2020.
Pere Pau Rotxotxo Puigdoura
Spanish national pattern by Pere Pau Rotxotxo Puigdoura (1766–1797).
Shrek the Third playing cards
Characters from the 2007 film Shrek the Third, a DreamWorks Animation production.
Jeu de cartes Armelle
Advertising pack designed by James Hodges for a company specialising in regional cakes and biscuits....
Jeanne d’Arc, “La pucelle d’Orléans”
Joan of Arc and her contemporaries in a colourful pack designed by Patrice Louis.
Louis De Poortere
Psychedelic designs promoting Louis De Poortere, a company selling carpets and rugs.
Murphy Varnish pack
Reproduction of the 1883 Murphy Varnish transformation pack, USA, 2019