Fair Play cross cultural playing cards
“Fair Play” cross cultural playing cards illustrated by Canadian artist Stephen B. MacInnes.
Fair Play cross cultural playing cards illustrated by Canadian artist Stephen B. MacInnes and published by New Internationalist, c.2009. Playing cards are being used as an aid to foster cooperation by raising awareness of emerging cultural or environmental issues. Human rights are often violated and ethnic or religious tensions exacerbated due to lack of common understanding.
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
Woodblock and Stencil Queen of Clubs
A limited edition art print of the Queen of Clubs 1984 woodblock joker.
Woodblock and Stencil King of Diamonds
A limited edition art print of the King of Diamonds 1984 woodblock joker.
Woodblock and Stencil Joker
A limited edition art print of the 1984 woodblock joker.
Woodblock and Stencil Jack of Hearts
A limited edition art print of the Jack of Hearts 1984 woodblock joker.
Music playing cards
Portraits of 13 classical music composers.
Club Soft Drinks
Promotional pack for Club soft drinks with amusing illustrations of different kinds of ‘club’.
High School Musical 3: Senior Year
American teen film depicting students staging their last spring musical.
Commoners playing cards
Created by Ian Cumpstey dedicated to the common land and the countryside.
Liber Ludorum
Liber Ludorum playing cards created by Ian Cumpstey in the insular style, United Kingdom, 2019.
Pike and Clover playing cards
Pike and Clover playing cards created by Ian Cumpstey, Cumbria, UK, 2018.
Inglewood Hunting Deck
Inglewood Hunting Deck created by Ian Cumpstey, United Kingdom, 2023.
The Beatles • Yellow Submarine
A colourful deck celebrating the 1968 animated feature film based on the Lennon/McCartney song of th...
Le jeu des 7 Familles ’Utuafare
Colourful Happy Families game from Tahiti depicting costumes from different archipelagoes.
Safety playing cards
Safety playing cards designed to reinforce the “Think and Be Safe” concept.
Carte Osteologiche
Skulls and bones of all descriptions have become the suits and pips in this 40-card pack from Italy....
Postgeschichte
A celebration of different postal systems in Germany from 1630 to 1850, with designs by Volker Hartm...
Mohegan Sun playing cards
Mohegan Sun playing cards published by Gemaco for Mohegan Sun casino.
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! playing cards
Strange facts from Robert Ripley’s ‘Believe It or Not’ books, in the form of cartoons.
B-Deck
“B-Deck” scurrilous playing cards poking fun at a former UK prime minister.
52 Ways to talk about adoption
‘52 Ways to talk about adoption’ family-centred playing cards produced by the Center for Adoption Su...
Winstanley Geographical cards
Facsimile of Winstanley’s Geographical cards produced by Harold & Virginia Wayland, 1967.
Heathen Wars
German-suited ‘Heathen War’ playing cards published by Joseph Fetscher, Munich, c.1820.
Gone to Pot: Gardener’s playing cards
‘Gone to Pot’: special playing cards for keen gardeners, United Kingdom.
Sally Ferries playing cards
Sally Ferries Euro playing cards and phrase pack, United Kingdom, c.1990s.
Don’t come back
“Don’t come back” playing cards produced by Hounslow NHS Primary Care Trust and Feltham Young Offend...
Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte
Famous people associated with Nicolas Fouquet’s splendid château of Vaux-le-Vicomte.
Pendleton playing cards
Pendleton playing cards inspired by indigenous American artwork, USA, 2019.
Een Kaartspel
Minimalist playing cards from The Netherlands
The Age of Dinosaurs playing cards
Dinosaurs from different ages and locations, with artwork by Virginijus Poshkus.
The Famous Dinosaurs Playing Cards
54 different dinosaurs, both large and small, illustrated by Cecilia Fitzsimons.
Old West Guns
Old West Guns playing cards containing information about firearms from the Old West, USA.
Old School Playing cards from Moon
Designed and published by Leo Scherfig
Malam playing cards
Malam playing cards created by Michael Muldoon, USA, 2015.
Kings of India playing cards
Kings of India playing cards depicting the four greatest dynasties of India.
History of London illustrated playing cards
A catalogue in 54 cards of some of the treasures held within the Museum of London collections.
British Columbia Souvenir
British Columbia Souvenir Playing Cards by The Clarke and Stuart Company
Star Wars: a New Hope
‘Star Wars: a New Hope’ playing cards to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the film Star Wars, USA, ...
The Saab 900 Convertible playing cards
A flicker pack with different backs, advertising the Saab 900 Convertible motor car.
Costumes des Peuples Étrangers
Costumes des Peuples Étrangers & Jeu d’Or dedicated to young people and likely used for games and fo...
National Railway Museum
National Railway Museum with drawings by Stuart Black, United Kingdom, 1993.
Race Card
‘Race Card’ playing cards published by the Concept Card Co., New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
UMass Amherst Libraries
UMass Amherst Libraries playing cards, USA, 2016
Hawaiian playing cards
Hawaiian playing cards in the style of classic Hawaiian wood carvings, USA, 2015.
Het Nest Brouwerij
Het Nest Brouwerij playing cards from Turnhout, Belgium.