List of Argentinian Playing Card Manufacturers
List of Argentinian Playing Card Manufacturers from the 19th and 20th centuries.
LIST OF ARGENTINIAN PLAYING CARD MANUFACTURERS
from the 19th and 20th Centuries
Manufacturer / Fabricante |
Approx datespan
|
M.J. Gandarillas y Socios |
1815-1817 |
|
José Maria Quercia y Possi | 1815-16 |
|
Fray Solano García | 1816 |
|
Eugenio Molina |
1818-?? |
|
Eugenio Balbastro |
1819-?? |
|
Carlos Varangot |
1831 |
|
Carlos Minetto & Cia |
c.1880-1890 |
M. Girbano |
1890-1900 |
|
Francisco Girbau & Cia |
1890-1930 |
c.1890-95 |
|
|
Martin Sanchez y Cia |
c.1900 |
|
La Primitiva, Fabrica de Naipes |
1878- |
|
Cia General de Fósforos |
1889-1929 |
|
Cia Gral Fabril Financiera (formerly Cia Gral Fósforos)Iriarte 2035, Bs.As. Also: California 2098, Bs.As. |
1929-c.1975 |
|
F.X. Schmid Argentina |
c.1975-1980 |
|
Joker S.A.I.C. (formerly distributors, successors to
B. Domec, early cards made by
F.X.Schmid) |
1977-present |
|
Alvarez Holmberg y Cia |
c.1950-1970 |
|
Fourvel, Luis A. & Cia |
c.1930-1960 |
|
Partido Peronista (Dupuy) Viamonte 2534, Bs.As. |
1951 |
|
Conrado & Carlos Camilloni |
c.1940-1950 |
|
Flaiban & Camilloni Lda Victoria 3228-3252, Bs.As. |
1936-42 |
E. Flaiban S.R.L. Alberti 282, Bs. As. Esperanza 646-50, Bs. As. Administración, Depósito y Ventas: Corrientes 3679, Bs. As. |
1943-1952 |
Paisanito S.R.L (Sucesores de E. Flaiban S.R.L.)Esperanza 646-50, Bs. As. Rio Limay 1527-29, Bs. As. |
1952-3 |
E. Flaiban S.A.C.I. Fábrica: Santa Rosa 4061, Florida F.C.G.B. Ventas: Venezuela 1949 & 1949/55, Bs. As. Administración y Ventas: Mario Bravo 525-9 |
1952-1970 |
|
Franco, E. P. |
1942-1955 |
|
Chemmes, Eduardo Antonio Olazabal 1473-75, Bs.As. |
1950-1960 |
Bedaumine Hnos |
c.1950-1960 |
Mario Colombo Rodriguez Peña, Bs.As. |
1940-c.1970 |
|
Della Penna, Carlos |
c.1940-1978 |
|
G. Berger |
1935-195? |
|
Casa Escasany Casilla Correos 116, Bs.As. |
1930s-40s |
|
Apeles S.A. |
1950s |
|
Nascal S.R.L. |
c.1960-80 |
Cappellano Hnos Orestes A. Cappellano, S.R.L. Orestes A Cappellano de Jorge C. Oneto Cappellano S.A. |
c.1920-35
c.1935-60
c.1965-85 |
1960-1980 |
|
|
Justo Rodero |
c.1930-69 |
c.1975-1985 |
|
Naipes Castilla |
c.1980-1985 |
|
Offset Sacerdoti, S.A. |
1941 - present |
|
Obsequios Empresarios Argentinos Avda Belgrano 124, 3er piso, Bs.As. |
1965-present |
|
Juegos Victoria (Jugetes Royal) |
c.1965-75 |
|
Adans S.A. (Artes Gráficas) |
1982 |
Editorial Gráfica Flores |
c.1975-90 |
Igor L. M. Domicelj |
c.1945-55 |
![]() |
|
Fabrica de Naipes VIGOR S.R.L. (formerly Igor L. M. Domicelj) Tejedor 256, Bs.As. Tejedor 244-56, Bs.As. |
1955-c.1975 |
|
Virgo S.C.A. |
c.1975-80 |
|
Gráfica 2001 - Naipes La Española Fantasio (formerly Vigor S.A.) |
1998-present |
|
Plastigal Juegos S.R.L. (distributors for Gráfica 2001) |
1999-2001 |
1940s onwards |
|
1970s |
|
1970s |
|
|
Cromg S.A. |
1970s |
|
1983-95 |
|
1980s |
|
c.1975-present |
|
1980s |
|
c.2000 |
|
1998 |
|
c.2000 |
|
c.1960-1998 |
|
Distigráfica S.R.L. |
1997-2005 |
1998-2007 |
|
|
Arco Iris Producciónes Gráficas |
1999 |
Editorial Perfil Chacabuco 271, Código Postal 1069, Bs As |
1999-2000 |
|
Plastirama Co. |
|
|
Artes Gráficas Reywal S.R.L. |
1989 - present |
|
El Tripero (imprenta) |
1998 |
|
Bahía Graf (imprenta) |
??-present |
|
Industrias Gráficas Pesout S.A. |
c.1990-present |
|
Feroleto (Los Remos) |
2002-?? |
1994-present |
|
1992-present |
|
IMPORTERS
|
Since the end of the monopoly of the Real Fábrica de Naipes de Macharaviaya (Spain) in 1815, there have been a number of importing agents, as well as manufacturers from other countries, who have imported playing cards into Latin America. Cardmakers in the U.S.A. for instance (particularly Dougherty and the U.S.P.C.Co) have tended to care for their minority populations, particularly the Latin-American ones. Belgian cardmakers have exported cards to South America since the mid-19th century; these had a distinctive style of their own.
Above: No.35 Squeezers imported into Argentina by Bertrand Domec, whose details are overprinted on the Ace of Hearts, c.1927. Bertrand Domec had a long-standing relationship with the NYCCC and was their exclusive agent in the River Plate region. Italian, German and French card makers are also known to have manufactured Spanish type packs. Versions of the Spanish Catalan pattern are found today in Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Paraguay, Honduras, Uruguay, Venezuela and Peru, whilst the 19th century Cádiz style is found today in Peru, El Salvador and Mexico. The "Castilian" pattern is found in Mexico, Chile, Argentina and El Salvador. Uruguay and Colombia also use the distinctive "Parisian Spanish" pattern. |
|
Importer / Importador |
Approx datespan |
|
W. Kulka & Quinn, |
1860s |
|
Fló Hnos. y Cía, |
1901-?? |
|
Carlos G Balcarce, |
1903 |
|
Flo. Ries & Cia, |
c.1910-20 |
|
Casa Jacobo Peuser Ltda, |
1867-1950s |
|
Julio Laje, |
1930-1960 |
|
Pedro Desparbez |
c.1900-1903 |
|
B. Domec (Sucesor de Pedro Desparbez) |
1904- |
|
Bertrand Domec (Importador) |
c.1906-1926 |
|
Casa Bertrand Domec (Importadora) |
1926-1930 |
|
Casa Bertrand Domec de F. Fernández y J. Fagoaga (Sucesores) |
1930-35 |
|
Casa Bertrand Domec de Fagoaga y Fernández (Sucesores) |
1935-45 |
|
Casa Bertrand Domec de Fagoaga y Fernández |
1945-50 |
|
Casa Bertrand Domec de Fagoaga y Compañia (Sucesores) |
1950-70 |
|
Vicente y Mateos |
c.1955-65 |
|
Gath & Chaves |
c.1920-30 |
|
Harrods (Bs Aires) Ltd |
c.1930-50 |
|
Szulansky Hnos |
c.1960-65 |
|
Ricardo Sopena |
c.1930 |
|
A. Di Bacco Importador |
c.1930s |
|
Donnell & Palmer |
c.1920 |
|
Palmer & Cia (Sucesor de Donnell & Palmer) |
c.1930 |
|
Pedro L. Carrera - Importador |
c.1950 |
|
Eusebio Aparicio - Cooperativa Telefónica |
c.1940 |
![]() ![]()
Above: The agent Bertrand Domec, whose fortunes can be followed through the changes of company name and address, was the exclusive agent of The New York Consolidated Card Company, U.S.A. Brands such as "Squeezers", "Bee-92" and "Congress" were used in Argentina. Records from the Cádiz chamber of commerce confirm that 15,420 packs of cards were exported from Cádiz to Argentina in 1908; 5,860 packs in 1910 and 2,720 packs in 1937. Greater quantities than this were exported to Mexico, the Canary Isles, Cuba, Chile and the Philippines [source: Pérez González, 1995]. |
|
|
Comas y Ricart, Sebastian, Barcelona |
c.1890-1930s |
|
Chas. Goodall & Son Ltd, London |
1860s-1920 |
|
John Waddington Ltd, Leeds & London |
1940s |
|
A. Dougherty, New York |
1840-1920s |
|
Consolidated Dougherty Card Co Inc., New York |
1920-1940 |
|
E.E. Fairchild Corp., Rochester, N.Y. |
1930s |
c.1910-1930 |
|
c.1890-1990 |
|
|
Hija de B. Fournier, Burgos, Spain |
c.1900-1978 |
|
H. Fournier, Vitoria, Spain |
1940-2000 |
|
Biermans, Turnhout, Belgium |
1870s-1930s |
|
Brepols, Turnhout |
1850s-?? |
|
Glénisson & Van Genechten, Turnhout |
1860-?? |
|
Brepols & Dierckx, Turnhout |
1890s |
|
Piatnik, Vienna, Austria |
1950-1980 |
|
Müller & Co, Schaffhouse, Switzerland |
c.1850-1998 |
|
C.L.Wüst, Frankfurt |
c.1910 |
|
B. Dondorf, Frankfurt am Main |
c.1920s |
|
A.S.S., Altenberg |
1960-70 |
|
F.X. Schmid, Münich |
c.1970-85 |
|
Anonymous, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, India |
c.1980-present |
By Simon Wintle
Spain • Member since February 01, 1996 • Contact
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.
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