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Alan Tarot Deck
Reprint of a Tarock pack originally designed by Argio Orell for the Austrian Lloyd shipping company.
Roddy Somerville • 2 days ago
Keith Haring playing cards
Energetic graffiti images by the American artist Keith Haring.
Roddy Somerville • 3 days ago
Tarot Baraja Egipcia
Curious Tarot with Egyptian-style trumps issued by Franco Mora Ruiz from Mexico.
Roddy Somerville • 4 days ago
Heráldica Castanyer No. 16
Strange variant of international pattern cards for poker or bridge.
Roddy Somerville • 4 days ago
Disney’s Aladdin playing cards
Characters from the 1992 Disney film Aladdin.
Roddy Somerville • 5 days ago
La Réussite (Sébastien Féraut)
Sébastien Féraut’s designs inspired by the animal kingdom for a set promoting patience games.
Roddy Somerville • 6 days ago
2011 Worshipful Company Pack
Celebrating the bicentenary of the birth of Charles Dickens, with characters adapted from drawings by ‘Kyd’.
Roddy Somerville • Jan 31, 2025
More Menthol Filter Cigarettes
Elongated cards with designs by Wong Yui Man advertising More cigarettes.
Roddy Somerville • Jan 31, 2025
Le Tarot de Sète
Reinterpretation of the Tarot de Marseille by Julien Labat, an artist from Sète.
Roddy Somerville • Jan 30, 2025
Animal Skat, Česká Grafická Unie
A non-standard deck from Czechoslovakia.
Marek Brejcha • Jan 30, 2025
Oracle Rock
Cartomantic set depicting rock and pop stars, designed by La Rata, with a book by Virginie Despentes.
Roddy Somerville • Jan 29, 2025Current Trends
Canasta is a card game of the Rummy family which originated in Uruguay probably about 1947.
The King of Hearts, holding a sword behind his head, is sometimes nicknamed the “Suicide King”. He can be seen to derive from a late medieval design showing a King wielding a battle axe.
The Rider Waite Tarot was created at the beginning of the 20th century by Arthur Edward Waite and Pamela Colman Smith.
“Cartes Lenormand” published by H. P. Gibson & Sons Ltd, London, printed in Germany by B. Dondorf, 1920s.
The Chinese took their cards with them wherever they travelled and traded in the East, and we find Chinese cards in use not only in the mainland but also in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Sin...
Nã'ib, the game of lieutenants... these cards are amongst the earliest Arabic playing cards extant.
Tarot, originally a 15th century card game from Italy, has evolved into a form of personal mysticism and spiritual exploration, offering new visions of expanding awareness.
Playing cards are used for fortune-telling, predicting the future or even as a psychological adjunct to folk medicine and therapy. Turning another card illumines the moment and new clarity emerges.
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.
The playing card calls for artistic treatment and although the constrained size imposes some limitations there is an almost bewildering wealth and variety of designs in playing cards and their tuck bo...
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...
Explore
4,505 articles featuring content from 118 countries, 1,330 manufacturers and 1,111 designers; including 386 themes, 265 brands, 76 suits, 50 games and 31 licenses.



Dungeons and Dragons Tarot
By Adam Wintle

Dungeons & Dragons “Curse of Strahd” Tarokka Deck
By Adam Wintle

Rider-Waite Tarot
By Saskia Jansen

The Visconti-Sforza Tarot, c.1460
By Simon Wintle


Pam is the Knave of Clubs
By Simon Wintle

Anti-Religions
By Barney Townshend

Knavery of the Rump, 1679
By Simon Wintle

Kaiser Jubiläum
By Simon Wintle

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.

Introduction to Collecting Themes
By Paul Bostock

Guru Ganjifa
By Simon Wintle

Ganjifa - Playing Cards from India
By Paul Bostock

Handmade Ganjifa Birds Playing Cards
By Ian Taylor


Otto Tragy Jugendstil Spielkarten
By Simon Wintle

Jeu de Cartes No.1
By Barney Townshend

The Aquarian Tarot Deck
By Adam West-Watson

Jeu Moyen Age
By Barney Townshend


Suicide King
By Simon Wintle

Carte Romane
By Rex Pitts (1940-2021)

Tarot of the Thousand and One Nights (1001 Nights Tarot)
By Adam Wintle

Zodiac Bridge
By Simon Wintle
The Big Picture
Playing cards have a universal appeal and are a reflection of human culture.


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!"

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.
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.

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
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