Mr Deuceace and Mr Dawkins sitting at a round table playing cards Since 1996, this collaborative project has grown to include 4,538 articles by 28 contributors, including researchers, collectors, artists and historians covering topics from Art Nouveau to Zoology. We move beyond simply cataloguing playing cards by date, manufacturer and place of origin, and adopt a dynamic, interactive and thematic approach, bridging the past with the present, telling stories, opening conceptual perspectives and the necessary reflectiveness to gain new insights and ways to appreciate their role in history.

Zürcher Festspiel 1903

Swiss-suited pack designed by Robert Hardmeyer featuring figures from art and politics.

An Anonymous Belgian Transformation Pack

Anonymous Belgian transformation pack borrowing many images from earlier designs by Braun & Schneider.

Tarot de las Coscojas

Historical playing card design, tarot symbolism and an almost psychedelic medieval surrealism.

New Articles

An Anonymous Belgian Transformation Pack
An Anonymous Belgian Transformation Pack

Anonymous Belgian transformation pack borrowing many images from earlier designs by Braun & Schneider.

Roddy Somerville • 2 days ago
Tarot de las Coscojas
Tarot de las Coscojas

Historical playing card design, tarot symbolism and an almost psychedelic medieval surrealism.

Simon Wintle • 4 days ago
The European Interchanges Quartets
The European Interchanges Quartets

A card game based around motorway intersections from European countries.

Marek Brejcha • 6 days ago
Tarot de Valverde de la Vera
Tarot de Valverde de la Vera

A series of 24 surrealist engravings by Mexican artist Claudio Favier in which archetypal Tarot allegories are...

Simon Wintle • Mar 22, 2025
Austrian Tarock by S.D. Modiano
Austrian Tarock by S.D. Modiano

Modiano’s Austrian Tarock with country scenes has been in production for over 100 years.

Marek Brejcha • Mar 18, 2025
Songs with Flute accompaniment
Songs with Flute accompaniment

Eighteenth century English engraved cards with music for voice and flute.

Roddy Somerville • Mar 17, 2025
Love Tests
Love Tests

Vintage novelty “Love Test” cards of a slightly saucy nature but all in good fun!

Lynda Cowling • Mar 16, 2025
Briefmarken-Quartett
Briefmarken-Quartett

Quartet game featuring postage stamps from the Zones of Occupation in post-WWII Germany.

Roddy Somerville • Mar 15, 2025
The Game of the Gods
The Game of the Gods

Figures and symbols from Norse mythology, designed by Barbro Gustafsson and Inga Lundström.

Roddy Somerville • Mar 14, 2025
Prager Pattern by Bratří Willnerové, Teplice
Prager Pattern by Bratří Willnerové, Teplice

Traditional single-ended Prager pattern by Willner Brothers from northern Bohemia.

Marek Brejcha • Mar 10, 2025
Never Mind the Belote
Never Mind the Belote

Limited edition Belote pack with designs by a collective of 24 street artists.

Roddy Somerville • Mar 10, 2025

Current Trends

Tarot de Valverde de la Vera 1980

A series of 24 surrealist engravings by Mexican artist Claudio Favier in which archetypal Tarot allegories are re-imagined as a mirror of the contradictory forces within us.

Canasta 1947

Canasta is a card game of the Rummy family which originated in Uruguay probably about 1947.

Rider Waite Tarot early editions

Mexican Poker 1991

Mexican Poker cards made by Juegos y Fichas, S.A. de C.V., Mexico, 1991

Cartes Lenormand 1920

“Cartes Lenormand” published by H. P. Gibson & Sons Ltd, London, printed in Germany by B. Dondorf, 1920s.

Traditionally cardmakers worked in guilds with long apprenticeships under master craftsmen.

Portuguese Playing Cards 1490

The Real Fábrica de Cartas de Jogar was founded in 1769, by Royal Charter of King José, under the master craftsman Lorenzo Solezio, brother of Félix Solesio who ran the Spanish Real Fábrica at Machara...

The art of mystifying people is very old indeed. The first conjurers were priests who obtained power over simple minds by performing magical tricks which appeared to have a supernatural origin.

De La Rue 1832

De La Rue introduced letter-press printing into playing card production and his patent was granted in 1831. He produced his first playing cards in 1832.

The Visconti-Sforza Tarot, c.1460 1460

This pack of tarot cards appears to have have been made in the Bembo workshop in Cremona for Bianca Maria Visconti, c.1460.

Early History of Playing Cards & Timeline 1370

Out of an apparent void, a constellation of references in early literature emerge pointing to the sudden arrival of playing cards, principally in Belgium, Germany, Spain and Italy around 1370-1380. Di...

Playing Cards have been around in Europe since the 1370s. Some early packs were hand painted works of art which were expensive and affordable only by the wealthy. But as demand increased cheaper metho...


Explore

4,538 articles featuring content from 119 countries, 1,343 manufacturers and 1,126 designers; including 385 themes, 266 brands, 76 suits, 52 games and 31 licenses.

A decorative black and white line ornament with a circular design in the center and horizontal lines extending from both sides

Transformation
The best-known fantasies with playing cards are the ‘Transformation’ cards. Hand-drawing ‘transformations’ onto a pack of ordinary playing cards, with the suit symbols forming part of the overall composition, became a popular pastime 200 years ago and a test of skill in drawing. A great deal of ingenuity is required in their design. The earliest printed sets were published at the start of the 19th century, often published in the form of an almanac or sometimes known as ‘metastasis’, and these became a fashionable and entertaining novelty.

In the strict sense of the word ‘Transformation’ the pips should be in their standard positions and form part of, or fit into, the overll image portrayed on the card. more
1496 South German Engraver

South German Engraver

By Simon Wintle

1873 An Anonymous Belgian Transformation Pack
1896 Ye Witches’ No.62 Fortune Cards
1895 Hustling Joe

Hustling Joe

By Simon Wintle


History
Playing Cards have been around in Europe since the 1370s. Some early packs were hand painted works of art which were expensive and affordable only by the wealthy. But as demand increased cheaper methods of production were discovered so that playing cards became available for everyone... more
1947 Canasta

Canasta

By Simon Wintle

History of Blackjack

History of Blackjack

By Simon Wintle


Ganjifa

This term refers to a family of card games that originated in Persia and spread to India during the Moghul period. The traditional Ganjifa deck consists of 96 cards divided into eight suits. The cards are typically round and hand-painted with intricate designs. The games played with this pack often involve trick-taking mechanics, and the rules can vary significantly depending on the region and specific variant of the game being played.

1875 Ganjifa - Playing Cards from India
Indian Ganjifa Playing Cards

Indian Ganjifa Playing Cards

By Rex Pitts (1940-2021)

2002 Ganjifa™

Ganjifa™

By Roddy Somerville


Art Nouveau & Jugendstil
Art Nouveau, also known as Jugendstil, was an artistic movement that emerged in Europe in the late 19th century, around the 1890s. It was inspired by a desire to break away from the academic and historicist styles that dominated art and design at the time and to create a new, modern aesthetic that reflected the changing world and the spirit of the age. Major influences on the Art Nouveau movement were the growing interest in Eastern art and design, including “exotica”, curvilinear forms and decorative motifs drawn from nature, and advances in technology. Playing cards provide many elegant and refined examples of this style, with intricate designs, bold patterns, and vibrant colours.
1896 New Era No.46

New Era No.46

By Rod Starling (1936-2023)

1905 Whist by Ditha Moser

Whist by Ditha Moser

By Marek Brejcha

Jeu de Cartes No.1

Jeu de Cartes No.1

By Barney Townshend

1970 The Aquarian Tarot Deck

The Aquarian Tarot Deck

By Adam West-Watson


Nintendo
In 1889, Fusajirô Yamauchi began manufacturing “Hanafuda” or “flower cards” under the brand name Nintendo Koppai. Cards were hand crafted using the bark from mulberry and mitsu-mata trees. Around 1902 the firm began producing Western style playing cards.
2008 Hanafuda Flower Cards

Hanafuda Flower Cards

By Simon Wintle

Japanese Playing Cards

Japanese Playing Cards

By Simon Wintle

Akahachi

Akahachi

By Anthony Lee

1979 Ainu culture

Ainu culture

By Rex Pitts (1940-2021)


The Big Picture

Playing cards have a universal appeal and are a reflection of human culture.

A decorative black and white line ornament with a circular design in the center and horizontal lines extending from both sides
Simon & Adam Wintle

Above: Chinese money-suited cards. Some of the earliest cards have origins in the Far East.

Playing cards are a part of almost every culture and society around the world. These small, rectangular pieces of paper have been a source of entertainment for generations and are still enjoyed by people of all ages today. Whether it's a simple game of solitaire, a high-stakes game of poker, or a magic trick that delights, there's something about playing cards that captures the imagination and inspires creativity. As Delef Hoffmann once said "whether we consider cards as mere merchandise or as the bond which unites people with one another, just think of what we would be if we had no cards! How boring and unsociable our lives would be without this invention!"

Dasavatara Ganjifa from India

Above: Dasavatara Ganjifa from India. Playing cards from India are often circular.

The origin of cards can be traced back to China, where they were first used as early as the 9th century. From there, the cards travelled across Asia and the Middle East, and finally found their way to Europe in the 14th century.

Since then, playing cards have been used for a wide range of purposes, including fortune-telling and even propaganda. But the most significant impact they have had on humanity is through their use in games, which have brought people together for centuries.

Above left: a set of Spanish playing cards from 1638 was discovered inside a prison wall during demolition, likely used for gambling by prisoners. Above center: Trump Presidential playing cards, playing cards are often used for political messages. Above right: the Magician from the popualr Rider-Waite tarot, which has become the template for modern tarot decks.

Above left: a set of Spanish playing cards from 1638 was discovered inside a prison wall during demolition, likely used for gambling by prisoners. Above center: Trump Presidential playing cards, playing cards are often used for political messages. Above right: the Magician from the popualr Rider-Waite tarot, which has become the template for modern tarot decks.

While playing cards have brought people together for fun and play, they have also been a source of disruption in the form of gambling. For many, gambling has become an addiction, leading to financial ruin and even anti-social problems.

The artistic value of cards cannot be overlooked, with their intricate details and unique designs of each card reflecting the creativity and ingenuity of artists. Playing cards are a reflection of our society, with each country and region having its unique designs and styles. As Sylvia Mann put it "there are fashions in cards, and these fashions very often reflect the history of the times". From the bold and colourful designs of India to the intricate and detailed patterns of Russia, playing cards are a testament to the creativity and diversity of the human experience.

Playing cards from different cultures

Above left: Kashmir Playing Cards, above center: Ethiopian Air Lines playing cards produced by Nintendo, above right: striking playing cards designed by Masuo Ikeda.

Playing cards have a wide embrace, spanning across cultures and countries, with a scope of diverse subjects that reflect the values and beliefs of their respective societies.

Playing cards are an enduring symbol of human connection and creativity, transcending language, borders and cultures. Through the power of games, they have brought people together for centuries, creating shared experiences that have fostered friendships, learning and social bonds. While their role in gambling has been disruptive, their stunning artistic designs elevate them to works of art, worthy of appreciation and admiration. Playing cards are a testament to the power of human creativity and a reflection of the rich cultural tapestry of our world.

References

  • The Playing Card, Delef Hoffmann, 1972
  • Collecting Playing Cards, Sylvia Mann, 1966