Naipes Side Car Tipo Español

Above: sealed pack in paper wrapper with brown 50 centavos tax band [Decreto 18.235] and green 'Mercury' duty stamp on the four of cups, Spanish-suited ‘Naipes Side Car’, Luis A. Fourvel y Cía, Buenos Aires, c.1944. The back design includes a small motorcycle, which also appears on the wrapper and four of cups.

Above: sealed pack in paper wrapper with brown 50 centavos tax band [Decreto 18.235] and green 'Mercury' duty stamp on the four of cups, ‘Naipes Side Car’, Luis A. Fourvel y Cía, Buenos Aires, c.1948. The back design has been redrawn and an overstamp on the four of cups reads: "Garantizamos Cartulina Inglesa". It is not known exactly when Fourvel was sourcing English cardboard, but supplies would have been restricted during the war period.

Above: ‘Naipes Side Car’ from c.1950. The motorcycle logo on the four of cups is printed in yellow and there are typographical differences from the earlier version. There is no reference to imported cardboard.

Above: ‘Naipes Side Car’ from c.1955 with advertising for Cinzano. The motorcycle logo on the four of cups has disappeared and the company name has changed to Luis A. Fourvel & Cía S.R.L.

The Fourvel family was of French origin but had settled in Spain during the XIX century. In the 1930s Luis Fourvel went to Argentina and established a printing business which flourished until the early 60s.

Luis A. Fourvel y Cía manufactured cards in the Spanish Catalan pattern with the brand name ‘Side Car’. The same brand name was also used for a standard Anglo-American version (‘Side-Car’ and ‘Naipynt’) and a Belgian/Genoese pattern for casino use.

Advertising and non-standard packs also started appearing in the 1950s.

See also: Fourvel homepage • Side Car • Side Car Spanish-suited • Naipes Estelares • Naipynt • Side Car Genoese style