Cartes de Luxe (1877) facsimile

Published August 19, 2016 • Updated April 27, 2023

‘Cartes de Luxe’ first published by Biermans in 1877 was reproduced in facsimile by Amstel Beer in c.1980.

‘Cartes de Luxe’ first published by Biermans in 1877 was re-published in facsimile by Amstel Beer (Netherlands) in c.1980. According to the information on the box, the re-edition of the historic deck was to commemorate the founding of the Amstel Brewery and was available free with two six-packs of 1870 Amstel beer.

Above: cards from the original 1877 edition of ‘Cartes de Luxe’ published by Léonard Biermans. The four aces in the original edition were plain and there were no corner indices or numbers.

Biermans Cartes de Luxe facsimile by Amstel Beer, c.1980

Above: Biermans ‘Cartes de Luxe’ facsimile by Amstel Beer printed by Carta Mundi, c.1980. Two jokers, four breweriana aces and a back design were added to the new edition, which is otherwise faithful to the original designs. The facsimile deck was available free with two six-packs of 1870 Amstel beer.

REFERENCES

Autenboer, Dr Eugeen van: The Turnhout Playing Card Industry 1826-1976, Aurelia Books, Brussels 1976

For more details about the original ‘Cartes de Luxe’ see Joop Muller’s Dxpo website►

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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.