Argentina Card Backs

Published January 09, 1997 • Updated December 19, 2021

BACK DESIGNS

The earliest playing cards had blank backs because of the difficulty of precisely aligning a pattern with the fronts of the cards when large sheets were cut into smaller units. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, as printing technology improved, simple patterns of dots, geometric shapes, sprigs or other small repeating motifs were introduced.

Above: the introduction of printing blocks made from metal resulted in precise and regular back patterns of diagonally crossed lines, such as are currently used in many countries around the world. The examples shown here date from c.1950-60.

Above: commercial advertising on playing cards reflects the economic activities of the day, especially foreign industry operating in Argentina. The FIAT pack (by E. Flaiban) dates from the 1950s when private motor car ownership became feasible to the average Argentinean householder. Lately, Argentina's monetary policies have proved costly for manufacturers, exposed to cheaper competition from abroad… the 'Aerolineas Argentinas' pack was made in China.

Back designs from cards by C. Della Penna, c1950-60

Above: back designs from "Naipes Porteño" and "Naipes Inca" by C. Della Penna, with advertising for Laprida products, c.1960.
Special Joker and back design from advertising pack for Hoechst pharmaceutical products, c.1970.

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By Simon Wintle

Spain • Member since February 01, 1996

I am the founder of The World of Playing Cards (est. 1996), a website dedicated to the history, artistry and cultural significance of playing cards and tarot. Over the years I have researched various areas of the subject, acquired and traded collections and contributed as a committee member of the IPCS and graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal. Having lived in Chile, England, Wales, and now Spain, these experiences have shaped my work and passion for playing cards. Amongst my achievements is producing a limited-edition replica of a 17th-century English pack using woodblocks and stencils—a labour of love. Today, the World of Playing Cards is a global collaborative project, with my son Adam serving as the technical driving force behind its development. His innovative efforts have helped shape the site into the thriving hub it is today. You are warmly invited to become a contributor and share your enthusiasm.