MITSCHKAtzen
Clever cat designs by the Austrian artist and illustrator Willi Mitschka.
Willi Mitschka is a well-known Austrian illustrator who used his time during COVID-19 to complete his project “MITSCHKAtzen”. Cats appear in many guises in this pack: on the Spades suit, they have a distinctly Germanic feel, the QH and JH play musical instruments, while the QC bears a striking resemblance to Queen Victoria. The odd mouse also puts in an appearance. The black-backed pack incorporates the black suits into the design, while the red-backed back incorporates the red ones. Eight cats prance around the border. There is a play on words in the title of the pack between the artist’s name and the German word for ‘cats’ • see the box
Above: MITSCHKAtzen cat-themed playing cards published by Willi Mitschka, Vienna, Austria, c2024. Printer unknown. 2 x 52 cards + 3 (identical) Jokers in drop-lid box. Size: 59 x 91 mm.
Postcards and greetings cards were also produced with the same designs.
Purchased in Vienna, 26 September 2024. Photographs taken in front of the small shop where I bought the cards.
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By Roddy Somerville
France • Member since May 31, 2022
Roddy started collecting stamps on his 8th birthday. In 1977 he joined the newly formed playing-card department at Stanley Gibbons in London before setting up his own business in Edinburgh four years later. His collecting interests include playing cards, postcards, stamps (especially playing cards on stamps) and sugar wrappers. He is a Past President of the Scottish Philatelic Society, a former Chairman of the IPCS, a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards and Curator of the WCMPC’s collection of playing cards. He lives near Toulouse in France.
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