The card-makers of Turnhout were prolific in their output and inveterate copiers.
Van Genechten started making playing cards in c.1840 and continued until the founding of Carta Mundi in 1970.
Special deck made for La Banque Nationale de Paris by Van Genechten, Turnhout, c.1962
Humorous pharmaceutical deck made by Antoine van Genechten for Bayer, c.1963.
One of the outstanding and most popular packs made by the Turnhout cardmakers was the Bongoût type. Special scenic Aces could be added to packs according to the client’s preferences.
Carta Mundi was founded in Turnhout on 27 June 1970 by pooling the production and sales facilities of the three surviving companies: Brepols, Van Genechten and Leonard Biermans.
Van Genechten was one of the most competent cardmakers in Turnhout and they produced almost every kind of foreign pack for clients all around the world.
Cards from a 40-card pack made in Belgium by Antoine van Genechten exclusively for the firm "Escalada y Vidiella" based in Montevideo (Uruguay) in c.1860.
Dutch pattern advertising deck for Genever Giraf made by Van Genechten in the 1950s.
Standard English pattern manuf’d for L.N. Mann by Van Genechten, c.1890
Spanish-suited Playing Cards manufactured by Van Genechten, c.1920
Van Genechten first registered an Ace of Spades for English playing cards in 1885 followed by the ‘Sailor’ Joker.
Van Genechten manufactured playing cards in various styles, including specially customised versions for commercial clients wishing to advertise their own brands on the cards.
Advertising decks made in Belgium by A. Van Genechten, 1960s.
A. Van Genechten ran a flourishing business, supplying various kinds of cards both inside the country and abroad including England, Spain, France, Denmark, South-East Asia, China and Japan
