Mariáš - Black & Red Edition

A presentation deck was printed for the Designblok exhibition in Prague in 2024 and showcasing the collaboration between the oldest Czech card manufacturer, Hrací karty 1884 s.r.o., and the modern printing company H. R. G. spol. s r.o. (1), based in Litomyšl. The joint production is a tribute to the companies’ long-standing collaboration in card production.

The cards feature a graphic adaptation of the Prager pattern. This design was contributed to the project by Hrací karty 1884 s.r.o., the successor to the historic Czechoslovak monopoly manufacturer Obchodní tiskárna Kolín, which holds the original printing matrices, now digitized. HRG provides the physical production technology. Given the color scheme of HRG’s corporate logo, it can be assumed that the color stylization of the design also originates from there.

The cards retain the standard single-headed cards from the Prague pattern. However, the graphic design reduces the color palette to black and red, as the deck’s name already suggests. The color red is used in three different shades, replacing the usual green and yellow. The text “Black & Red Edition” appears in the motto on the Ace of Clubs. Here, it replaces the text “Original” that Hrací karty uses on its decks. Changes have also been made to the coat of arms designs on this card. They feature the logos of both collaborating companies.

Mariáš - Black & Red Edition printed by Obchodní Tiskárny & HRG for the Designblok exhibition in Prague, 2024.

The reverse side, in keeping with the overall design, features a standard diamond pattern, but on a red background. The deck also includes an additional promotional card. The acorn ace is used as the main motif on the packaging as well. The word “Mariáš” in the deck’s title refers to the local designation of the Prague-style card deck as “mariášové,” meaning intended for the game of Mariáš (2). Although the main game for which the cards are likely to be used will be “Prší” (English: “It’s Raining”) (3).

References

1. Czech Wikipedia : Tiskárna H.R.G ►
2. Pagat.com: Mariáš ►
3. The Czech version of the game Crazy Eights.