Russia
In 1817 the Imperial Playing-Card Factory (Leningrad) was founded and it played a benevolent role by channelling revenues to the Imperial Foundling Hospitals.
Anti-Fascist Propaganda Pack for the Siege of Leningrad, 1943
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by Simon Wintle
In 1943 a pack of ‘anti-fascist’ playing cards was designed by Vasiliy Andrianovich Vlasov mocking the rulers of Germany and the Axis powers.
Anti-Religions
The Russians were no strangers to propaganda cards. Clubs represent the Russian Orthodox church, Hearts Roman Catholicism, Spades Confucianism and Diamonds represent Judaism.
Back to the USSR
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by Simon Wintle
Back to the USSR deck featuring communist party leaders and politicians, c.1995
Cosmopolitan № 2121 playing cards
“Cosmopolitan” № 2121 playing cards designed by Russian artist Valeri Mishin, 1996
Cossack
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by Simon Wintle
“Cossack” playing cards, with artwork by O. Panchenko dedicated to the revival of the traditions of the Cossacks. Printed by the Colour Printing Plant, St Petersburg, 1994.
Dolls Gallery
Dolls Gallery / Galereia kukol : karty igral’nye / published by Varvara Skripkina, 2003.
East Slavonic Mythology
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by Simon Wintle
East Slavonic Mythology designed by Aleksey Orleansky (1994) featuring creatures from the watery underworld.
Hermits
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by Simon Wintle
Playing cards depicting imagined residents of St. Petersburg with illustrations by Alexei Bobrinsky.
Historical playing cards, 1897
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by Simon Wintle
Russian “Historical” playing cards with designs by Nikolay Karazin, 1897
Hunting playing cards
Hunting playing cards / “Okhotnich’i karty” with illustrations by the court artist Mihály Zichy.
Maya
“Maya” playing cards designed by Russian artist V. M. Sveshnikov and first published by The Colour Printing Plant, St Petersburg, in 1975.
Miner’s Cards for Rutek Alliance
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by Simon Wintle
Miner’s Cards for the Czech company Rutek Alliance, 2012.
New Style ‘Jugendstil’
Playing cards showing the influence of ‘Jugendstil’ manufactured by the Soviet Playing Card Monopoly (U.S.S.R.) 1930
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