costume
Dutch costume playing cards
Dutch costume playing cards made for the Dutch market in the second half of the 19th century.

Korchma Taras Bulba
The first of two decks designed by Ukrainian illustrator Vladislav Erko for “Korchma Taras Bulba” restaurant which serves traditional Ukrainian cuisine

Müller: Richelieu
This deck is named after Armand Jean du Plessis de Richelieu, Cardinal-Duc de Richelieu (1585-1642), a French Roman Catholic Clergyman and statesman, Chief Adviser to King Louis XIII, noted for the authoritarian measures he employed to maintain power.

Schweizer Trachten
Schweizer Trachten No.174 (Costumes Suisses) by Dondorf.

Newsletter: Costume & Fashion as Revealed in Playing Cards
In this newsletter we’re looking at how fashion and costume is represented through playing card art since the 14th century through to today.

Folk Cards
Folk Cards designed by Krystyna Gruchalska-Bunsch for Lot Polish Airlines, 1962.

Andere Zeiten - Andere Kleider
‘History of fashion’ cultural quartet game designed by Erika Werner-Nestler, 1954.

Netherlands Kostuum Kwartet
Dutch costumes quartet game designed by Gerard Huijg, 1983.

Österreichisches Trachten-quartett
Österreichisches Trachten-quartett Nr.282 published by Ferd Piatnik & Söhne.

Chinese Costumes
Chinese Costumes from the Winterthur Collection, published by Fournier, 1984.

Fancy Dress Ball
Spear’s “Fancy Dress Ball” card game with children dressed in period costumes, 1930s.

Bathing Beauties
Bathing Beauties throughout the ages, published in Hungary, 1967.

New Figures by A. I. Charlemagne, 1862
“Renaissance” playing card designs by A I Charlemagne, 1862.

Casais Portugueses
Matching game by Majora, Lisbon, c.1970, featuring figures in national dress from Portuguese provinces and colonies

Mary Queen of Scots
Mary Queen of Scots and other Tudor period dignitaries, published by Piatnik, 1990.

Bharata Playing Cards
Bharata Playing Cards - Series 2, based on Indian folk art, published by Sunish Chabba, 2018.

Fashion Face Off
“Fashion Face Off” card game illustrated by Erin Petson for Laurence King Publishing, c.2011.

XVII Century Engraved Animal Cards
French suited German engraved cards c1610 to 1650,

Far East
Far East playing cards with designs by Isabel Ibáñez de Sendadiano, c.1980.

Provinces de France
Jeu des Provinces de France published by Éditions Dusserre, 1979.

Europe
“Europe” designed by Teodoro N. Miciano and printed by Heraclio Fournier in 1962, portraying XIV century European fashions.

Dames de France
“Dames de France” published by J-M Simon based on originals by Armand Gustave Houbigant, Paris, c.1817

Comtesse
“Comtesse” by Bielefelder Spielkarten Fabrik GmbH, 1960s.

El Aguila
Naipes ‘El Aguila’ with flamboyantly dressed court figures made in Mexico by La Cubana S.A., c.1975.

Parisian Actors and Opera Singers
Extraordinary ‘Actors and Opera Singers’ deck printed by Avril et Cie, Paris, c.1865

Rococo Playing Cards
Piatnik’s Rococo style playing cards issued as “Rococo Patience”, “Luxus-Patience”, “Empire Patience”, “White Horse Patience”, “Patience-Whist No.140”, “Mini Patience” and “Lady Patience”

El Rodeo Talabartería
Promotional playing cards produced for ‘El Rodeo Talabartería’ specialising in leather goods and clothing, Buenos Aires, c.2006.

St Hubert’s Bridge
“St Hubert’s Bridge” published by Éditions Philibert, Paris, c.1956.

La Suisse Historique Swiss Cantons souvenir
A masterpiece in the genre of tourist souvenir decks, “La Suisse Historique” Swiss Cantons souvenir designed by Melchior Annen in c.1920.

Happy Families of the Nations
Happy Families of the Nations published by Pepys Games, 1958.

Chinese Dragon Robes
Deck featuring 54 different images of Chinese Dragon Robes that emperors, empresses and royal family members wear on important occasions.

Dr Who Adventures
‘Doctor Who Adventures’ is a weekly magazine aimed at younger readers. From time to time free playing cards are included with the magazine

Palekh by Aleksey Orleansky
In the style of religious icon paintings, these court card figures wear costumes reminiscent of the mid-17th century.

Roaring Twenties
Roaring Twenties playing cards by Angel Playing Cards Co Ltd, Japan. 1980.

Slavonic
Originally published as “Slavonic Cards No.501” by The Colour Printing Plant, St. Petersburg, in the 1920s

Russian Slavic Costumes
Russian style “Slavic Costumes” playing cards first published in 1911

Daveluy
Daveluy produced card games between c.1840 and 1890. Many of his playing cards have historical connotations and show figures with a landscape background.

Moyen-Age by Daveluy
Cartes Moyen-Age by Daveluy, Bruges, c.1875.

Decked Out
Connie Lim has created a beautifully illustrated set of fashion inspired playing cards, a tangible telling of her story, intimately realized in the palm of your hand.

Regional Costumes
Spanish regional costumes and coats-of-arms; cute illustrations on each card, 1986.

Baraja Andaluza
Non-standard Spanish-suited playing cards created by Rafael Rodriguez Hernandez and published by Ediciones Baja Andalucia, Sevilla, c.1980.

Marguerite
Each court figure is richly decorated and holding something different: a letter, a wreath, a quill pen, a mace, a bird, a flower, a cushion, a goblet, a flute, etc.

Matyó-Bridge No.50
The court cards in this delightful Art Deco pack represent persons in various colourfully embroidered folkloric costumes. Designed by Hungarian artist Ilona Radnainé Szöredi.

Jeu des Rois de France
This beautifully engraved and pleasing deck designed in 1856 has French Kings and consorts as the Kings and Queens, with noble attendants as the Jacks, all dressed in magnificent period costumes.

Jeu de Costumes Historiques
These cards are from neatly etched plates, and are carefully coloured. The court cards present full-length figures in character costumes.

Cartes Parisiennes
The courts are full-length figures of English historical personages.

Orija Nr.20
Reprint of “Lettische Trachten” deck first published in Latvia in 1918.

Swiss Regional Costumes Playing Cards, c.1890
This Swiss Regional Costume pack can be seen as an early form of tourist souvenir which subsequently developed into the photographic souvenir pack.

O. Gibert, Paris c.1840-60
Gibert was a master card-maker whose fashionable playing cards were of a very high standard.

Naipe Peruano
Peruvian costumes playing cards.
