Cartes Illustrées

Mon premier jeu de cartes...

Illustrator Nicolas Bernard has attempted to modernise and rejuvenate the faces of standard French court cards to make them more attractive to children. The names/values of all the cards are spelt out in full alongside the traditional indices – in French at one end of each card, in English at the other. In addition, this is a 4-colour pack: S = black; H = red; C = green; D = yellow. The Joker is a childlike jester. Blue patterned backs. The rules for playing La bataille are printed in French on the reverse of the tuck box. See the box►

Above: Cartes Illustrées by Nicolas Bernard, made by France Cartes for La Grande Récré, c.2016. 52 cards + 3 Jokers in tuck box sealed in a hanging blister pack. On poor quality board.

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.