The World of Playing Cards Logo

Igor Domicelj, Buenos Aires, c.1945-55

Published March 03, 2012 Updated July 11, 2023

Igor Domicelj commenced producing playing cards in c.1945. By the early 1950s the range had grown to include Naipes La Estrella, Barcelonesa, Chinita, La Española, Fantasio, Cartas Gitanas, Naipes Tipo Húngaro and a Jewish Quartet game.

Argentina Domicelj Barcelonesa
Igor L. M. Domicelj, fabricante de naipes

Igor Domicelj commenced producing playing cards in Argentina in c.1945. By the early 1950s the range had grown to include Naipes La Estrella, Barcelonesa, Chinita, La Española, Fantasio, Cartas Gitanas, Naipes Tipo Húngaro and a Jewish Quartet game. The design and content of these last three items suggests that Igor Domicelj may have had an Eastern European background - possibly Slovenian or Czech.

In 1955 the company changed to Vigor S.R.L. who continued to produce the full range of cards. Further details about Domicelj's early history are obscure, but there may have been an association with G. Berger.

The Patent Office Registration documents dated 22 June 1955 show the designs registered by Vigor S.R.L. for Naipes Fantasio at the time of the take-over.


Naipes Fantasio by Igor Domicelj, c.1950

Right: double set of Naipes "Fantasio" in bakelite box, manufactured by Igor L. M. Domicelj, c.1950.

Left: Naipes "Fantasio" made by Igor L. M. Domicelj, c.1950. The ace of hearts has a green 'Mercury' tax stamp.

Naipes Fantasio by Igor Domicelj, c.1950
1 Peso orange tax band, c.1950

Above: orange 1 Peso tax band from Naipes Fantasio manufactured by Igor L. M. Domicelj, c.1950. This was the tax for 'French-suited' cards.


Left & Right: Naipes Bols manufactured by Igor L. M. Domicelj, c.1954. This is the first advertising pack produced by Domicelj / Vigor.

Naipes La Estrella for Ginebra Bols, c.1954
Tax band, c.1954

Above: brown 50 Centavos tax band from Naipes Bols manufactured by Igor L. M. Domicelj, c.1954. This was the tax for Spanish-suited cards.


Above: Naipes "Tipo Húngaro" made by Vigor S.R.L, c.1955-60. The seven of bells has a green 'Marianne' tax stamp and gives the name of the manufacturer as Vigor S.R.L. The box states that Igor L.M. Domicelj is the manufacturer suggesting that old stock was being used up.

avatar
1,474 Articles

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.

Related Articles

1980 Egyptian Tarot

Egyptian Tarot

Egyptian Tarot inspired by ancient Egyptian art, mythology, and iconography, published by Naipes La ...

1995 Naipes Criollos

Naipes Criollos

“Naipes Criollos” Gaucho playing cards, 1995.

2002 Naipes Cardón

Naipes Cardón

Naipes Cardón designed by Mario Luis Rivero depicting traditional Argentine culture and identity, 20...

2003 El Oráculo de la Bruja

El Oráculo de la Bruja

“El Oráculo de la Bruja” fortune-telling cards, 2003.

2000 Martín Fierro

Martín Fierro

Naipes “Martín Fierro” based on the epic poem by José Hernandez.

1977 Naipes Parliament por Caloi

Naipes Parliament por Caloi

Carlos Loiseau, better known as ‘Caloi’, was a cartoonist whose designs for Parliament Cigarettes we...

1980 Minifusor Tipo Español

Minifusor Tipo Español

Naipes "Minifusor" tipo Español published by Difusora S.A., c.1980.

1975 Clark’s Industries

Clark’s Industries

Clark’s Industries Spanish Cards, c.1975.

2002 El Tripero

El Tripero

Hand-drawn semi-erotic, satirical playing cards by Lautaro Fiszman ‘El Tripero’, 2002.

1979 Mordillo Skat

Mordillo Skat

Mordillo Skat designed by Guillermo Mordillo, c.1979

1955 Cartas Gitanas

Cartas Gitanas

The designs of these fortune-telling cards are largely taken from nineteenth century Austrian "Rural...

2002 Naipes Garaycochea

Naipes Garaycochea

Humorous playing cards designed by Carlos Garaycochea, Buenos Aires, c.2002.

2000 Desafio Football Caricatures

Desafio Football Caricatures

“Desafio” playing cards with football player caricatures, c.2000

1980 Roche Playing Cards

Roche Playing Cards

Roche Pharmaceutical playing cards, 1980s.

2001 Cartas Precolombinas

Cartas Precolombinas

Spanish playing cards with Pre-Columbian designs from Argentina, 2001.

2000 World Cup ’98

World Cup ’98

World Cup ’98 football team pack for Paradigma Consulting Group, 2000.