Mesmaekers & Moentack, c.1860
The Mesmaekers firm had been established in Turnhout in 1859 by the partnership of Gustaaf Mesmaekers and Louis-François Moentack.
The Mesmaekers firm had been established in Turnhout in 1859 by the partnership of Gustaaf Mesmaekers and Louis-François Moentack. In 1862 Moentack withdrew from the partnership, leaving Gustaaf Mesmaekers who then turned to his two brothers for their support to continue the business. From then on the firm was known as Mesmaekers Frères.
Even during this early phase of the firm's enterprise a wide range of cards was already being produced: Cartes Orientales; Bongoût; Impériales; Italiennes; Suisses; Belges; Hollandaises; Allemandes; Marbrées, etc. As shown on this page, packs with scenic aces were available, adorned with landscapes or historic events, views of the Rhine, Brazil, India, Switzerland, Germany and Portugal. These were the forerunners of the modern tourist souvenir packs.
Above: cards produced by Mesmaekers & Moentack during their partnership era, c1860. The Aces depict 2 European scenes on each Ace.
Above: a hand-operated printing press from the former Mesmaekers company in Turnhout, 1855 – 1865. National Museum of the Playing Card.
See also: Mesmaekers Spanish pack • Philips Arlita, 1925 • L'Union Fait la Force, 1945 • Ken Lodge's Blog►
By Simon Wintle
Member since February 01, 1996
View ArticlesCurator and editor of the World of Playing Cards since 1996. He is a former committee member of the IPCS and was graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal for many years. He has lived at various times in Chile, England and Wales and is currently living in Extremadura, Spain. Simon's first limited edition pack of playing cards was a replica of a seventeenth century traditional English pack, which he produced from woodblocks and stencils.
Leave a Reply
Recommended
Cape Wrath
Images from the Ministry of Defence Cape Wrath Training Centre, Sutherland, Scotland. Published 2010.
Jeep Playing cards
Pack of cards celebrating Allied Victory in the Second World War.
Carte da Gioco Toscana
Carte da Gioco Toscana souvenir deck, 2002.
Romȃnia Playing Cards
Playing cards featuring traditional folk costumes from Romania.
Dutch costume playing cards from an unknown maker
Another pack of Dutch costume playing cards c.1880.
Garuda Indonesia Airline
Souvenir pack from Garuda Indonesia, the national airline of Indonesia, c.1985.
Martinique
Original designs from the French overseas department of Martinique by local artist Martine Porry.
Paintings from Bulgaria
Fifty-five paintings of Bulgaria published as “Sense of Bulgaria” by Land of Roses Ltd, Bulgaria, c.2015.
San Marino Souvenir
San Marino stamp designs combined with photographic views by La Fotometalgrafica Emiliana, c.1975.
Annapurna
Annapurna playing cards produced and published by Himalayan MapHouse, Kathmandu, Nepal.
El Al Airlines
Pack designed by Jean David (1908-93) for El Al Airlines. The courts are named after Biblical characters.
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.
J. W. Spear and Sons
Jacob Wolfe Spear founded his company manufacturing fancy goods in 1879 near Nuremberg in Bavaria, Germany
Luxus Skatkarte Nr.1134
Luxus Skatkarte Nr.1134 printed by Brepols for Germany, c.1940s.
Polska
Polska with artwork by Katarzyna Tomala & Krzysztof Korzeniak, 2011.
Ethiopian
Ethiopian playing cards designed for the Ethiopian Tourist Organization by Afewerk Teklé.
Sapra Studio Original
Sapra Studio Original playing cards featuring wild animals of S Africa, 1999.
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.
French Revolution
Bicentenaire de la Révolution Française 1789–1989 created by Christian Offroy.
Cigar Bands
A collection of 24 cigar bands with miniature playing cards.
RCI Playing Cards
RCI Playing Cards, a 20th century playing-card maker of Minneapolis, 1969-1985.
Souvenir from Zakynthos
Souvenir from Zakynthos by Euro Card.
Souvenir of Norway
Souvenir of Norway deck.
Views of New Zealand
Views of New Zealand published by G.B.Scott Souvenirs, Auckland, c.1960.
New Zealand Souvenir
Souvenir from New Zealand by Croxley (John Dickinson) c.1950.
Ocean to Ocean Canada Souvenir
“Ocean to Ocean” Canadian Pictorial Souvenir pack by Chas Goodall & Son Ltd, c.1912.
Ocean to Ocean Souvenir of Canada, c.1905
Ocean to Ocean Souvenir of Canada by Chas Goodall & Son Ltd, c.1905.
Red Sea
Red Sea fish identification cards published in several languages by Horus of Egypt, 2005.
Folklore No.169
Austrian Folklore deck first published by Piatnik in 1934.
Baraja Turística de España
Baraja Turística de España by Heraclio Fournier, 1966.
Discover Romania
Discover Romania souvenir published by Editura Foton, 2010.
Burj Al Arab Jumeirah
Gold plated souvenir playing cards from the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah hotel in Dubai.
Romania Unique Places
Romania Unique Places souvenir playing cards by Age Art.
007 Die Another Day
“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