Fair Play
Fair Play budget brand by Piatnik first appeared c.1950 before disappearing in c.1990.
Fair Play was a budget-brand produced anonymously by Austrian firm Piatnik during the second half of the 20th century, first appearing around 1950 before disappearing about 1990. See the Box►
The cards were produced on noticeably lower quality “Plastic Treated” card stock. Also noticeable is the white (uncoloured) flesh of the court cards and jokers, the anonymous simple design of the ace of spades and the absence of any production codes on the ace of hearts, all of which differentiate the brand from the more usual Piatnik designs. Packs have been found sold singly, and also paired as a bridge set in a faux-leather case distributed by Benno Products.
Images courtesy Matt Probert.
By Matt Probert
United Kingdom • Member since March 02, 2012
I have adored playing cards since before I was seven years old, and was brought up on packs of Waddington's No 1. As a child I was fascinated by the pictures of the court cards.
Over the next fifty years I was seduced by the artwork in Piatnik's packs and became a collector of playing cards.
Seeking more information about various unidentified packs I discovered the World of Playing Cards website and became an enthusiastic contributor researching and documenting different packs of cards.
I describe my self as a playing card archaeologist, using detective work to identify and date obscure packs of cards discovered in old houses, flea markets and car boot sales.
Activity for Fair Play
Sign in to comment or save this article.
Related Articles
Tudor Rose No. 2137
A bizarrely misnamed deck.
Luxury No. 2167
A Piatnik classic that lives up to its title.
Art pack I
Art pack featuring Old Masters, including Bruegel, Vermeer, Titian, Raphael, Caravaggio, Canaletto, ...
Romania playing cards
Romanian voivodes and their wives from the 15th and 16th centuries.
Rika playing cards
Playing cards depicting famous Austrian skiers of the 1970s.
Gulliver’s Travels
Gulliver’s Travels card game no.293 published by Piatnik, c.1950.
Piatnik No.97
Non-standard French-suited cards published by Ferd Piatnik & Sõhne, Vienna, c.1940s.
Vienna (ex-Lyon) pattern
‘Vienna pattern’ derived from archaic Lyon pattern by Ferd Piatnik & Söhne A.G., c.1926-1934.
Piccadilly Patience
Piccadilly Patience by Piatnik, c.1955
Rococo Playing Cards
Piatnik’s Rococo style playing cards issued as “Rococo Patience”, “Luxus-Patience”, “Empire Patience...
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.
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.
Piatnik Tarock
Deck of "Industrie und Glück" or "Rural Scenes" tarock cards manufactured by Ferd Piatnik & Söhne, V...
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.
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 60 days
