Derby
‘Derby’ card game from Czechoslovakia.
By Rex Pitts (1940-2021)
Member since January 30, 2009
Rex's main interest was in card games, because, he said, they were cheap and easy to get hold of in his early days of collecting. He is well known for his extensive knowledge of Pepys games and his book is on the bookshelves of many.
His other interest was non-standard playing cards. He also had collections of sheet music, music CDs, models of London buses, London Transport timetables and maps and other objects that intrigued him.
Rex had a chequered career at school. He was expelled twice, on one occasion for smoking! Despite this he trained as a radio engineer and worked for the BBC in the World Service.
Later he moved into sales and worked for a firm that made all kinds of packaging, a job he enjoyed until his retirement. He became an expert on boxes and would always investigate those that held his cards. He could always recognize a box made for Pepys, which were the same as those of Alf Cooke’s Universal Playing Card Company, who printed the card games. This interest changed into an ability to make and mend boxes, which he did with great dexterity. He loved this kind of handicraft work.
His dexterity of hand and eye soon led to his making card games of his own design. He spent hours and hours carefully cutting them out and colouring them by hand.
Trending Articles
Related Articles
Woodblock and Stencil King of Diamonds
A limited edition art print of the King of Diamonds 1984 woodblock joker.
Woodblock and Stencil Jack of Hearts
A limited edition art print of the Jack of Hearts 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.
The Search for New Games in the late 19th century
A few new games survived and are still around today; most came and went and are only witnessed in th...
ČZ playing cards
Advertising pack for the Czechoslovak motorcycle factory Česká Zbrojovka.
Orientierungslauf Skat
Humorous designs by Helmut Härtelt on the subject of orienteering.
Brooks dna playing cards
Brooks dna playing cards produced by Gemaco for Brooks running shoes.
Golf playing cards
Golf playing cards published by Marks & Spencer, UK.
Vogelspiel
Vogelspiel, a German card game known as the “cuckoo game” also known as “Gnau”.
Jägerkarte Nr.465
Dondorf Jägerkarte Nr. 465 playing cards dedicated to the theme of hunting, c.1930.
Commemorative Olympic Playing Cards
Commemorative Olympic Playing Cards produced by Waddingtons exclusively for Stanley Gibbons Antiquar...
Clamcleats playing cards
Clamcleats playing cards for sailors designed by Celia Allison, New Zealand, 1986.
Carte da Gioco Mongolfiere
Various hot-air balloons on a pack from a small Florentine publisher.
Centennial Olympic Games playing cards
Centennial Olympic Games playing cards celebrating the centenary of the modern Olympic Games, 1896-1...
Ladbroke Sporting Casino
Ladbroke Sporting Casino caricature cartoon playing cards, U.K, c.2006.
Bicycle Negro League Baseball Museum
Bicycle Negro League Baseball Museum souvenir playing cards, USA, 2012.
Suzuki playing cards
Suzuki playing cards produced by Nintendo, Japan, 1978.
Hoyle v Foster: whose name should we remember?
Hoyle’s name is associated with the rules by which many games are played, particularly card games B...
Jeu Tour de France 89 (Domex)
Cyclists from the Domex-Weinmann team who took part in the 1989 Tour de France.
Hoyle and his Legacy
Edmond Hoyle (1672-1769) was an English writer who made his name by writing on whist and a selection...
Bridge Markers and bridge scoring methods
Bridge Markers and bridge scoring methods 1900-1930
Pinochle
I have always been intrigued by the game Pinochle.
Budweiser Budvar beer
Colourful designs promoting Budweiser Budvar beer from Czechoslovakia.
Nueva Baraja Taurina
'Nueva Baraja Taurina' designed by Pedro Maldonado, Madrid, c.1885.
Salmon Flies
Icelandic pack featuring a different salmon fly on every card.
Les 7 Familles Pyrénées
Mountains, flowers, animals, tourist sites of the Pyrenees, all drawn by the artist Pertuzé.
Jeu des 7 Familles Spider-Man
Colourful card game featuring the Marvel Comics superhero Spider-Man and some of his fearsome advers...
Alabama Crimson Tide 1972
Photos of American football players representing the University of Alabama in 1972.
ZPA Trutnov
Publicity pack for a Czech company making mains receivers and electrical control units.
Jan Becher playing cards
Publicity pack for Jan Becher, a Czech liqueur company, with modified international courts.
Dungeons & Dragons “Curse of Strahd” Tarokka Deck
Enhance your Dungeons & Dragons game with the Tarokka Deck, a tarot-inspired set of cards that bring...
Old Bachelor™
The 90’s version of Old Maid with illustrations by Susan Wise.
France, Champions du Monde 2018
Colour photographs of the World Cup-winning French football squad of 2018.
Jeu de 7 Familles France 98
Families card game with comic designs featuring seven of the teams competing in the 1998 World Cup. ...
Cleveland Museum of Art artists card game
Cleveland Museum of Art artists card game, USA, c.1993.
Golf Playing Cards
Humorous designs and non-standard pips poking fun at golf and golfers.
Jeu de Familles Les Pierrafeu®
Quartet game featuring The Flintstones and friends.
Baraja de Futbol Mundial-82
A 1982 World Cup commemoration pack by Heráldica Castanyer from Spain with non-standard suits.
Mundiales 82 playing cards
Two packs (one French-suited, one Spanish-suited) for the World Cup held in Spain, 1982.
James Purdey Signature playing cards
James Purdey & Sons is a long-established gun manufacturer founded in 1814 in London.
Golden Boys
Players from the 1998 Czech Olympic ice hockey team with photography by Jiří Koliš.
Papst Quartett
A quartet game featuring a selection of popes up to Benedict XVI.
Rika playing cards
Playing cards depicting famous Austrian skiers of the 1970s.