Tyrolean Playing Cards
Facsimile of patriotic 1878 Tyrolean playing cards published by Piatnik in 1992.
Tiroler Spielkarten
This commemorative facsimile edition of an historical, or patriotic, German-suited Tyrolean deck produced in 1878 contains interesting scenes in vignettes on the pip cards plus court card characters relating to Tyrolean history. For example, the hearts suit depicts the 1809 struggles for freedom whilst the acorns suit depicts art, science and industry. See the box►
By Matt Probert
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.
Related Articles
Play Architecture
Twentieth century architects and their creations on a well-designed pack from Finland.
La Baraja del Mundial
“La Baraja del Mundial” satirical football deck published by Fournier for ‘Interviú’ news magazine. ...
Art pack I
Art pack featuring Old Masters, including Bruegel, Vermeer, Titian, Raphael, Caravaggio, Canaletto, ...
Karl Korab
Austrian artist Karl Korab’s first pack, displaying his use of different techniques.
Rouen Pattern - Portrait Rouennais
An attractive XV century French-suited design from Rouen became the standard English & Anglo-America...
Johann Nejedly Tarok Cards
Johann Nejedly, a 19th-century Viennese card maker, produced Tarock cards featuring modern scenes th...
Austria Ski Team playing cards
Photos of members of the Austrian skiing team replace the normal courts on two different packs.
Grunwald 1410 – The Battle of Tannenberg
Details from the famous painting of the Battle of Grunwald (1410) by the Polish painter Jan Matejko....
Colonial Art
A collection of 53 pieces of art showcasing detailed scenes from early American colonial life.
Joseph Sürch, Engraver
Joseph Sürch, a prominent Viennese engraver, made significant contributions to card sheet engraving ...
Piatnik’s 200th Anniversary
A special philatelic souvenir for Piatnik’s 200th anniversary, combining playing cards an...
Trappola pack by Joseph Glanz
Double-ended Trappola pack by Joseph Glanz, Vienna, late 19th century.
Ganjifa - Playing Cards from India
Indian playing cards, known as Ganjifa, feature intricate designs with twelve suits and are traditio...
Deportivo Alavés 1921-2021
Drawings by Guillem Bosch of famous Alavés footballers in celebration of the club’s centenary.
Art pack II, Austria
Renaissance portraits by Albrecht Dürer, Lucas Cranach, Hans Holbein, Barthel Beham, Christoph Amber...
The Henry Hart Puzzle
Explore the intricate history and unique design variations of Henry Hart's playing cards, tracing th...