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Jean Borin

Published December 07, 2016 Updated September 26, 2024

‘Cartes de Luxe’ with artwork by Belgian artist and designer Jean Borin (1907-1997).

Belgium Draeger Frères Jean Borin Art & Design

‘Cartes de Luxe’ with artwork by Belgian artist and designer Jean Borin, born in Louvain in 1907 and died in 1997. He was a pupil of the Academy of Brussels and the School of Fine Arts of Etterbeek. The designs are a splendid elaboration of the typical Belgian pattern, along with coats of arms and an overall heraldic feel, including the box

‘Cartes de Luxe’ with artwork by Belgian artist and designer Jean Borin (1907-1997)
‘Cartes de Luxe’ with artwork by Belgian artist and designer Jean Borin (1907-1997)

Above: ‘Cartes de Luxe’ with artwork by Belgian artist and designer Jean Borin (1907-1997), unknown manufacturer (possibly Draeger Frères), 52 cards + 2 jokers in double box.

‘Cartes de Luxe’ with artwork by Belgian artist and designer Jean Borin (1907-1997)
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By Rex Pitts (1940-2021)

Member since January 30, 2009

Rex's main interest was in card games, because, he said, they were cheap and easy to get hold of in his early days of collecting. He is well known for his extensive knowledge of Pepys games and his book is on the bookshelves of many.

His other interest was non-standard playing cards. He also had collections of sheet music, music CDs, models of London buses, London Transport timetables and maps and other objects that intrigued him.

Rex had a chequered career at school. He was expelled twice, on one occasion for smoking! Despite this he trained as a radio engineer and worked for the BBC in the World Service.

Later he moved into sales and worked for a firm that made all kinds of packaging, a job he enjoyed until his retirement. He became an expert on boxes and would always investigate those that held his cards. He could always recognize a box made for Pepys, which were the same as those of Alf Cooke’s Universal Playing Card Company, who printed the card games. This interest changed into an ability to make and mend boxes, which he did with great dexterity. He loved this kind of handicraft work.

His dexterity of hand and eye soon led to his making card games of his own design. He spent hours and hours carefully cutting them out and colouring them by hand.


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