J. Glanz Historical playing cards
Historical Theatrical playing cards manufactured by J. Glanz, c.1860.
Historical / Theatrical playing cards manufactured by Joseph Glanz, Vienna, c.1860
Joseph Glanz of Vienna (1849-1912) was a leading Austrian manufacturer of fine playing cards. During its lifetime the firm had acquired Max Uffenheimer and Johann Ritter & Cie but was in turn absorbed by Piatnik in 1912. These finely engraved playing cards are hand-coloured using stencils, displaying the cardmaker’s excellent craftmanship from that period. The tax stamp on the Ace of Hearts (right) was used between c.1859-1877.
Above: finely engraved Historical Theatrical playing cards first manufactured by Joseph Glanz, Vienna, c.1860. The tax stamp on the Ace of Hearts was used between c.1859-1877. Images courtesy Rex Pitts.
Another slightly earlier example of this fine deck is preserved in the British Museum • number 1896,0501.247. The curator's notes describes the pack as having characters in historical plays on the court cards, Fridolin, Maria Stuart, Jugurd, etc. The ace of hearts bears the duty stamp and that of the maker.
Above: Historical Theatrical playing cards manufactured by Joseph Glanz, Vienna, dated 1857 on the ace of hearts. The tax stamp on the ace of hearts was used between c.1850-1857. Backs printed with a small pattern in grey. The king of clubs has the inscription "Joseph Glanz in Wien - Niederlage am Wien Kohlmarkt No. 279". In original wrapper lettered "Patent Karten, Fein Piquet...No.6 Josef Glanz" © The Trustees of the British Museum • number 1896,0501.247►
By Rex Pitts (1940-2021)
Member since January 30, 2009
Rex's main interest was in card games, because, he said, they were cheap and easy to get hold of in his early days of collecting. He is well known for his extensive knowledge of Pepys games and his book is on the bookshelves of many.
His other interest was non-standard playing cards. He also had collections of sheet music, music CDs, models of London buses, London Transport timetables and maps and other objects that intrigued him.
Rex had a chequered career at school. He was expelled twice, on one occasion for smoking! Despite this he trained as a radio engineer and worked for the BBC in the World Service.
Later he moved into sales and worked for a firm that made all kinds of packaging, a job he enjoyed until his retirement. He became an expert on boxes and would always investigate those that held his cards. He could always recognize a box made for Pepys, which were the same as those of Alf Cooke’s Universal Playing Card Company, who printed the card games. This interest changed into an ability to make and mend boxes, which he did with great dexterity. He loved this kind of handicraft work.
His dexterity of hand and eye soon led to his making card games of his own design. He spent hours and hours carefully cutting them out and colouring them by hand.
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