Beaujolais je t’aime …

Comic, cartoon-style courts with Kings slightly reminiscent of The Flintstones. Strong diagonal division on each court card. The courts are named after types of Beaujolais wine with an appropriate quality for each. The Aces are named after different varieties of grape and depict a bottle, a barrel, etc. All the pip cards have a bunch of grapes (all slightly different) top left/bottom right with the numerals in the remaining corners. Two different Jokers showing a crowned, tipsy character and the legend “SOLEIL DU BEAUJOLAIS”. On all the courts, Aces and Jokers, the words “ZAX” (top right) and “FRED” (bottom left) can be found – is this the name of the artist? Black-and-white back design with “BEAUJOLAIS JE T’AIME …” on a diagonal ribbon with a barrel, grapes, etc., in the background. Indices R, D, V, 1. On thin card.

Above: cards from a pack promoting Beaujolais wine published by Editions du Nuton, France. 52 cards + 2 Jokers in a side-opening tuck box on which the back design is reproduced. Size 55 x 86 mm. Date unknown.

Note: a "nuton" is a kind of imp or sprite.

By Roddy Somerville

Member since May 31, 2022

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Roddy started collecting stamps on his 8th birthday. In 1977 he joined the newly formed playing-card department at Stanley Gibbons in London before setting up his own business in Edinburgh four years later. His collecting interests include playing cards, postcards, stamps (especially playing cards on stamps) and sugar wrappers. He is a Past President of the Scottish Philatelic Society, a former Chairman of the IPCS, a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards and Curator of the WCMPC’s collection of playing cards. He lives near Toulouse in France.