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Playing Cards from France

French Playing Cards

Some of the oldest cards still in existence come from France. During the 16th and 17th centuries France was the major supplier of playing cards in Europe.

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Butagaz 1976

Butagaz

“Butagaz” playing cards for the French gas company, c.1976

Cancan 1956

Cancan

Lightly risqué luxury playing cards published by Éditions Philibert of Paris in 1956.

Carmen playing cards 1984

Carmen playing cards

Characters and scenes from the 1984 film of Bizet’s most famous opera, Carmen.

Cartavi 1970

Cartavi

Promotional pack for AVI paints, with 54 different colours on the backs.

Carte Méthodique 1982

Carte Méthodique

Reproduction of a French pack by François Silvestre intended to teach heraldry, produced in Paris in 1712.

Cartes à Jouer Espagnoles

Cartes à Jouer Espagnoles

Cartes à Jouer Espagnoles Héron - Catalan pattern.

Cartes à Jouer Fluorescentes 1960

Cartes à Jouer Fluorescentes

Standard French cards but printed with fluorescent inks on a black background.

Cartes à Jouer Héron

Cartes à Jouer Héron

Promotional decks by Héron.

Cartes à Rire

Cartes à Rire

Transformed playing cards featuring satirical caricatures of political figures then in the ascendant, Paris, c.1819.

Cartes Catalanes

Cartes Catalanes

Cartes Catalanes are used in a small area in the Eastern Pyrenees region of Southern France.

Cartes Catalanes by Fossorier, Amar et Cie 1900

Cartes Catalanes by Fossorier, Amar et Cie

‘Cartes Catalanes’ published by Fossorier, Amar et Cie (Paris)

Cartes Comiques du Colonel Atthalin 1817

Cartes Comiques du Colonel Atthalin

“Jeu de cartes comiques” transformation cards designed by Louis Atthalin (1784-1856) and published in 1817.

Cartes Illustrées 2016

Cartes Illustrées

Standard French designs adapted for children. Made by France Cartes for La Grande Récré, c.2016.

Cartes Imperiales et Royales

Cartes Imperiales et Royales

‘Cartes Imperiales et Royales’ published by B. P. Grimaud & Cie representing imperial rulers and consorts from Austria, England, France & Russia, mid-19th century

Cartes Questions-Devinettes 1840

Cartes Questions-Devinettes

A “Questions & Answers” family game from France produced by Imagerie Pellerin.

Cartes Recréatives 1819

Cartes Recréatives

Cartes Recréatives is a set of Transformed playing cards designed by Armand-Gustave Houbigant (1790-1863) and first published by Terquem et May, Metz, in 1819.

Cassandre for Hermès 1948

Cassandre for Hermès

Promotional playing cards created by A. M. Cassandre (pseudonym of Adolphe Jean-Marie Mouron, 1901-1968) with abstract, almost surrealist figures and ornamentation, but clearly inspired by medieval art and rendered into an Art Deco style.

Catel & Farcy

Catel & Farcy

Catel & Farcy (Paris).

Chamborama

Chamborama

This “Jeu de Familles” from the 1960s designed by Jean Bachès promotes Chambord glassware.

Charles Cheminade Tarot 1740

Charles Cheminade Tarot

Marseille Tarot cards by Charles Cheminade of Grenoble, France, early 18th century.