Miniature Playing Cards

Published February 14, 2010 • Updated April 22, 2022

Crudely printed miniature children's packs produced anonymously in c.1920-30.

Anonymous Miniature Playing Cards in the Cadiz pattern

anonymous miniature or toy playing cards produced in Argentina, 1920s

Above: anonymous miniature or toy playing cards produced in Argentina, 48 cards printed in orange and yellow with blue outlines on cheap paper. There are no inscriptions on any card. The reverse has a brown/white random pattern. Size = 34 x 48 mms. Date unknown, c.1920s.

Anonymous Miniature Playing Cards, c.1935

A crudely printed children's miniature pack was produced anonymously. The designs of the cards follows those produced by Della Penna & Cía around 1930-40 and it may have been printed by Della Penna. The cards are so flimsy that the slightest breath of air can blow them away so they were hardly suitable for play. 32x49 mms.

Florencia Marotta of Buenos Aires comments: "Si bien es como decís, que los naipes tienen iguales dibujos a los de Della Penna, estoy casi segura que no fueron realizados por ellos ya que no hacían naipes miniatura. La calidad del papel es muy mala al igual que la impresión. Seguramente estos naipes fueron realizados en base a sus diseños y eran regalados a los niños cuando se iban de las fiestas de cumpleaños. Era y sigue siendo común, el hecho de regalar una bolsita a cada nene cuando se va de una fiesta infantil. En la bolsita se colocan juguetitos, cartitas, golosinas, etc y se entregan como cotillón. Casi seguro estos naipes tenían esta finalidad, por eso se los llama de cotillón o carnaval. Pero siempre la duda está en los naipes que no poseen ningún dato, eso es lo lindo y bueno de investigar y estudiarlos."

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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.