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Playing Cards from Denmark

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Adolph Wulff  Kort No.70 1900

Adolph Wulff Kort No.70

Playing cards for Denmark made by C.L. Wüst

Animal Tarok by Jean Friedrich Mayer (1752-1783)

Animal Tarok by Jean Friedrich Mayer (1752-1783)

Animal Tarok by Jean Friedrich Mayer (1752-1783).

Bjørn Wiinblad

Bjørn Wiinblad

Bjørn Wiinblad (1918-2006) was a Danish painter, designer and ceramics artist.

C.L.Keiblinger, Copenhagen 1852-85

C.L.Keiblinger, Copenhagen 1852-85

C.L.Keiblinger, Copenhagen 1852-85

Christian IV Anniversary 1988

Christian IV Anniversary

King Christian IV anniversary pack, designed by Thora Fisker and printed by L. Jevison Junior, 1988.

Dandy Rock’n Bubble 1987

Dandy Rock’n Bubble

56 rock and pop stars of the 1980s, issued in Denmark with bubble gum.

Danish playing cards - Tarock trumps

Danish playing cards - Tarock trumps

Two versions of trump no.15 depicting the Thorvaldsen Museum.

Danish Tarok Cards - Holmblad, c.1850 1850

Danish Tarok Cards - Holmblad, c.1850

The traditional animal images on tarok decks are here substituted by images of buildings from Copenhagen and the surrounding area. The deck had several editions, with each new edition updating the latest changes to the buildings that had taken place since the previous edition.

Danish Tarok Cards - Salomon & Co., c.1906 1906

Danish Tarok Cards - Salomon & Co., c.1906

Danish Tarok cards published by S. Salomon & Co., Kjøbenhavn, c.1906.

Dronning Margrethe II 1994

Dronning Margrethe II

Elegant, elongated cards designed by Queen Margrethe II of Denmark.

Flying Tiger playing cards

Flying Tiger playing cards

An “eco-conscious” product with fun, modern designs from Denmark.

Gnav 1860

Gnav

cards from an early 'Gnav' game made by C.L.Keiblinger, Copenhagen c.1860

History of Danish Playing Cards

History of Danish Playing Cards

The earliest mention of playing-cards in Denmark dates from 1487 when King Hans, who reigned from 1481-1513 and was notorious for his gambling, again and again drew money from the treasury to pay for his losses.

Holmblad Animal Tarot 1835

Holmblad Animal Tarot

Instead of the old emblematic designs, the trump cards show illustrations of animals, which could possibly have symbolic meanings or moralizing interpretations.

Holmblads No. 121 1935

Holmblads No. 121

Holmblads No. 121 made by John Waddington, England, for Denmark

Jacob Holmblad c.1820

Jacob Holmblad c.1820

Standard woodblock and stencil deck produced by Jacob Holmblad with double-ended court cards in the tradition of the French ‘Paris’ pattern. The A♥ features a red over-stamp referring to Jacob Holmblad's royal license to print playing-cards which had been granted in 1820.

Jacob Holmblad c.1830

Jacob Holmblad c.1830

An amazing difference can be seen between the early and the later Jacob Holmblad packs, covering a time span of only 17 years.

Jacob Holmblad, 1820s

Jacob Holmblad, 1820s

The Q♥ has a butterfly net in which she has caught four hearts. Many of Holmblad's designs were replaced or changed in different editions, but this design was not used again.

Jeanne l’Hachette 1976

Jeanne l’Hachette

Jeanne l’Hachette reprint of 19th century transformation deck, Denmark, 1976.

King Christian of Denmark 1935

King Christian of Denmark

In 1935 a souvenir pack of playing cards to celebrate the King's 65th birthday was commissioned from the British firm of De La Rue.