Piatnik No.97
Non-standard French-suited cards published by Ferd Piatnik & Sõhne, Vienna, c.1940s.
Non-standard French-suited cards flourished in Austria and Germany during the 19th and 20th centuries, in a variety of styles to appeal to a growing middle class. This example, with a rich historical style, appears to have been published by Ferd Piatnik & Söhne since the 1880s in several formats, appearing as No.97, No.297, No.397, No.211 and also Patience No.29, with a variety of back designs. In some cases court cards were switched between the suits. Piatnik became a limited company in 1917, but the A.G. initials were dropped again in 1939.

Above: non-standard French-suited cards published by Ferd Piatnik & Sõhne, Vienna, c.1941 & 1950. The stamp on the top ace of hearts is not a tax stamp, but a manufacturer's imprint which was used between 1939-c1946.
REFERENCES and CREDITS
Thanks to Matt Probert for images and research.
Peter Endebrock's Playing-card Pages: Austria►
By Simon Wintle
Spain • Member since February 01, 1996
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.
Activity for Piatnik No.97
Sign in to comment or save this article.
Related Articles
Vorarlberg Büschel Jasskarten
“Vorarlberg Büschel Jasskarten” designed by Austrian artist and typographer Konrad Hämmerle.
Art pack I
Art pack featuring Old Masters, including Bruegel, Vermeer, Titian, Raphael, Caravaggio, Canaletto, ...
Rika playing cards
Playing cards depicting famous Austrian skiers of the 1970s.
Vienna (ex-Lyon) pattern
‘Vienna pattern’ derived from archaic Lyon pattern by Ferd Piatnik & Söhne A.G., c.1926-1934.
Kaiser Jubiläum
Kaiser Jubiläum Imperial playing cards made in Austria by Ferd Piatnik & Sons, Vienna.
48: Ferdinand Piatnik & Sons
Ferd. Piatnik produced a very large range of cards with many different standard and non-standard pat...
Popular No.257
Piatnik’s “Popular Playing Cards” No.257
Salzburger Pattern
Salzburger pattern by Ferd. Piatnik & Söhne, Vienna
Die Neue ÖVP
Promotional deck for the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) printed by Piatnik, 1996.
Tops and Tails
‘Sports Tops and Tails’ No.290 manufactured by Ferd Piatnik & Sons, Vienna, c.1950s.
El Jokey by Piatnik, 1990s
‘El Jokey’ Spanish-suited pack by Piatnik & Sons, Vienna, 1990s
Vienna Melange
“Vienna Melange” Playing Cards by Piatnik with a historical feel representing the four races that ma...
Ferd. Piatnik & Söhne
Ferdinand Piatnik was born in Ofen on October 14, 1819.
Wiener pattern
The Vienna pattern, or Wiener Bild, is a distant relative of the early Lyons pattern. The King of He...
Piatnik Tarock
Deck of "Industrie und Glück" or "Rural Scenes" tarock cards manufactured by Ferd Piatnik & Söhne, V...
Tarock Cards
The earliest Tarot decks originated in Italy in the fifteenth century, with Italian suit symbols. Ho...
Joseph Glanz, 1862
Playing cards depicting Turkish and Greek rulers manufactured by Joseph Glanz, Vienna, Austria, 1862...
Literary Figures
Non-Standard Literary Figures playing cards manufactured by Ferd. Piatnik & Söhne A.G., Vienna, 1924...
Piatnik & Sons for the“Estanco de Naipes del Perú”
Playing Cards made by Piatnik & Sons for the“Estanco de Naipes del Perú”, c.1960.
Hofamterspiel, c.1460
Hofamterspiel, c.1460
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 60 days