M/S Kronprins Harald
Souvenir of Jahre Line Ferry M/S Kronprins Harald
Souvenir of Jahre Line Ferry M/S Kronprins Harald manufactured in Belgium by Mesmaekers, Turnhout, probably dating from the 1960s as Mesmaekers were taken over by Van Genechten in 1968.

Above: Souvenir of Jahre Line Ferry M/S Kronprins Harald manufactured by Mesmaekers, Turnhout, with standard English pattern courts. Double pack 52 cards + 2 identical jokers each. Images courtesy Matt Probert.


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.
Trending Articles
Popular articles from the past 28 days
Related Articles

Woodblock and Stencil Jack of Hearts
A limited edition art print of the Jack of Hearts 1984 woodblock joker.

Woodblock and Stencil Jack of Clubs
A limited edition art print of the Jack of Clubs 1984 woodblock joker.

Woodblock and Stencil Joker
A limited edition art print of the 1984 woodblock joker.

Woodblock and Stencil Queen of Clubs
A limited edition art print of the Queen of Clubs 1984 woodblock joker.

Louis De Poortere
Psychedelic designs promoting Louis De Poortere, a company selling carpets and rugs.

Een Kaartspel
Minimalist playing cards from The Netherlands

Old School Playing cards from Moon
Designed and published by Leo Scherfig

American President Lines
American President Lines shipping souvenir playing cards, early to mid-1950s.

De La Rue 1932-1933 Sample Book of Advertising cards
Complete contents of a sample book of advertising cards by De La Rue

Scaramouche
Scaramouche cartes à jouer with designs by Henri Favre, published by Triboulet, France.

Het Nest Brouwerij
Het Nest Brouwerij playing cards from Turnhout, Belgium.

Des Quatre Parties du Monde
Four Corners of the World fantasy playing cards by Daveluy, Bruges, Belgium, 1875-1880.

Sleeperhold Publications
Sleeperhold Publications collaborative art playing cards.

Commedia dell’Carte
Commedia dell’Carte political transformation cards illustrated by Stef van Stiphout, Belgium, 1977. ...

Euro Playing Cards
New euro banknotes and coins from several countries on circular cards.

Maquettes for an unpublished WWI pack
Original designs depicting leaders and allegories from Russia, France, Great Britain and Belgium.

Belgian Souvenir playing cards
made in Germany by C.L. Wüst

Dietsche Playing Cards for the Dutch Shipping Company
A beautiful early pack from The Dutch Playing Card factory.

Isle of Man playing cards made by Glénisson of Turnhout
Two souvenir packs with different court cards made by Glénisson for the Isle of Man, c.1880.

Bon Gout No.11 with Crimean War aces
Made by Mesmaekers & Moentack of Turnhout.

Scouting playing cards
Cartoon-style illustrations promoting a Belgian organisation for scouts and guides.

Neptune No.105 Playing Cards
An exotic pack made by A.Van Genechten of Turnhout

Sigma Coatings
Advertising pack for a company supplying marine paints.

Lost Boys
Designs created on the occasion of a chess tournament in Antwerp, 1997.

Les Cartes pour l'Égalité
Playing cards for gender equality, created on the 500th anniversary of classic French cards

Jeep Playing cards
Pack of cards celebrating Allied Victory in the Second World War.

London Bridge NR.18
A brand name used in Norway over a number of years.

Dutch costume playing cards from an unknown maker
Another pack of Dutch costume playing cards c.1880.

Dutch costume playing cards
Dutch costume playing cards made for the Dutch market in the second half of the 19th century.

Dubois
Dubois card makers from Liège in the Walloon Region of Belgium.

Luxus Skatkarte Nr.1134
Luxus Skatkarte Nr.1134 printed by Brepols for Germany, c.1940s.

Norwegian Troll Cards
Norwegian Troll Cards published by Aune Forlag of Trondheim, c.2000.

Deutfracht Seereederei Rostock II
Maritime deck designed by Klaus Ensikat for Deutsche Seereederei Rostock, GDR.

Brazil Pictorial Aces
Genoese pattern with Pictorial Aces for Brazil by Brepols, Turnhout, c.1920.

Stationskwartetspel
Railway Stations quartet game illustrated by Wim Dolk and published by Servex BV, Utrecht, 1975.

Dynastie Royale de Belgique
Dynastie Royale de Belgique by Mesmaekers, 1934.

Year of the Child
Year of the Child commemorative deck designed by Jhan Paulussen, 1979.

Cigar Bands
A collection of 24 cigar bands with miniature playing cards.

Souvenir of Norway
Souvenir of Norway deck.

Die Another Day 007
“007 Die Another Day” James Bond themed playing cards, 2002.

Spectrum Bridge by Cartamundi
Spectrum Bridge by Cartamundi

Calavera Playing Cards
Calavera playing cards designed by Jirs Huygen for Cartamundi, 2015

Belle Vue Gueuze
Promotional playing cards designed by Wim Simons, Belgium, 1960s.

Anonymous Spanish Suited pack, c.1760
Anonymous archaic Spanish Suited pack, c.1760