Egyptian papyrus playing cards
Lacquered papyrus playing cards from Egypt with crude international pattern courts.
No doubt produced for the tourist market, these wider than normal cards are made from real papyrus, which has been heavily lacquered. The crude international pattern courts are printed in red and black only. The Ace of Spades is modelled on the one found in packs by the Moharrem Press of Alexandria but without their name at the foot. The back is printed in black, although included with the pack is a thinner, unlacquered, blank card which carries a full-colour version of the back design. This blank card allows one to feel the texture of the papyrus. A second extra card has the legend “With Best Wishes” superimposed on the camel rider motif found on the Ace of Spades.
Above: Egyptian papyrus playing cards, unknown maker, 52 cards + 2 Jokers + 1 extra AS marked “With Best Wishes” + 1 blank card. Size: 72 x 88 mm approx. Purchased in Egypt, c1997.
By Roddy Somerville
France • Member since May 31, 2022
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.
Activity for Egyptian papyrus playing cards
Sign in to comment or save this article.
Related Articles
Balearic Souvenir Cards
Mediterranean Souvenir deck by Rioba Studio, Pollença, Mallorca.
Papyrus Playing Cards
Papyrus playing cards distributed by Egypt Trade, c.1996.
Souvenir Playing Cards of Egypt
55 different photographic views of Egypt in full colour.
AT THE TOP Playing Cards
Exclusively designed for the Burj Khalifa in Dubai
Treasures of the Russian Museum
Treasures of the Russian Museum / Russkii Muzei : suvenirnye igral’nye karty.
Red Sea
Red Sea fish identification cards published in several languages by Horus of Egypt, 2005.
Missouri State Souvenir
Missouri Souvenir playing cards designed by OnPoint Speciality products in the USA, 2017.
Egypt Souvenir
Souvenir from Egypt - the home of lovely memories - 54 colour photos, c.1980.
Pharaonic Souvenir of Egypt
Pharaonic Souvenir of Egypt, c.2010
Papyrus playing cards
Egyptian ‘Papyrus’ playing cards with beautiful illustrations against a papyrus background.
Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet Playing Cards feature amazing images from all over the globe.
David Roberts
“David Robert” playing cards with artwork after Roberts’ Sketches in Egypt and Nubia.
Líneas de Nazca
“Líneas de Nazca” souvenir playing cards, Peru, c.2008.
Li River Souvenir
Li River Souvenir Playing Cards from China.
Walter Scharff
After some early experiences working in a cardboard factory and printing business cards, Walter Scha...
Adventures in Korea
Each card has a colour drawing of a Korean building, museum or tourist attraction with a brief descr...
Irish Souvenir
Irish souvenir playing cards. The Joker has the inscription W.O., Dublin.
Souvenir Playing Cards
Tourist souvenir playing cards depict the aesthetic, political, social and economic conceptions of t...
Souvenir Playing Cards
Argentina publishes many tourist souvenir packs, usually with colour pictures on each card, and with...
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 60 days
