Literature and Playing Cards

Wherever there is freedom of expression books, articles and other literary sources such as adventure stories, folk tales, historical or scientific literature have all been inspiration for artists, including designers of playing cards and educational games.

Les Grands Ecrivains
‘Les Grands Ecrivains’ produced for members of “Le Grand Livre du Mois”, France, c. 1970.



Literary Figures
Non-Standard Literary Figures playing cards manufactured by Ferd. Piatnik & Söhne A.G., Vienna, 1924.


Mary Whitmore Jones and her Chastleton Patience Board
Mary Whitmore Jones and her Chastleton Patience Board by Tony Hall.

New Style ‘Jugendstil’
Playing cards showing the influence of ‘Jugendstil’ manufactured by the Soviet Playing Card Monopoly (U.S.S.R.).

Noddy Happy Families
Enid Blyton’s Noddy Happy Families was published in 1955 by Sampson Low, 25 Gilbert Street, London W.1., manufactured in Great Britain.

Old Testament playing cards
Old Testament playing cards with illustrations by Jan Padover, USA, 2012.

On The Cards
A Motley Pack - transformation playing cards & ‘On The Cards’ book facsimile published by Sunish Chabba, 2019.

Pinocchio playing cards
Comic book drawings inspired by Carlo Collodi’s children’s classic, Pinocchio.


San Paolo Chekhov
Characters from Chekhov’s plays designed by Paolo Fresu for San Paolo Istituto Bancario, Italy, c.1983.

Scientific American
‘Scientific American’ playing cards depicting 19th century illustrations of inventions.

Shakespeare finely illustrated playing cards
Shakespeare playing cards with illustrations by Sir John Gilbert RA, United Kingdom.

Shakespeare Playing Cards
Kickstarter-funded modern remake of the 1902 classic pack, perfect for Shakespeare (1564-1616) and literature fans.

Shakespeare Playing Cards
Shakespeare Playing Cards pack published in the 1890s with original paintings are by John H. Bacon.

Shakespeare playing cards: Insults
Shakespeare Insults playing cards with portraits by Jan Padover, USA, 2005.

Shakespeare playing cards: Quotes
Shakespeare playing cards: Quotes, the first volume of a double set published by Prospero Art of San Francisco, 2004.

Shakespearean
Shakespearean Playing Cards designed by Frederick Colin Tilney, made by John Waddington Limited, 1932-3.