Finnish Chromolithographic Playing Cards
A fantasy interpretation of the French pattern in Renaissance and medieval costume.
Rather than displaying a distinctive Finnish national style, these cards adopt the standard double-ended French pattern of the period, reimagined in romantic Renaissance and medieval costume. They feature richly coloured chromolithographic printing, with decorative costume details, which was characteristic of Weilin & Göös of Helsinki. The Jacks carry halberds but wear soft caps rather than military dress. The Queens have elaborately decorated, fur-trimmed mantles and bodices, and the Kings hold orbs and scepters, wearing huge beards and storybook crowns. The result is a refined but essentially international design intended for the Finnish domestic market.
The stamp on the ace which reads "KRONO KORT STÄMPEL" was used in Finland around 1890, but the text is Swedish ("krono" = crown, "stämpel" = stamp/duty mark). The wrapper is bilingual in Finnish and Swedish and carries the WG monogram identifying the printer as Weilin & Göös of Helsinki. Although Finland had been part of the Russian Empire since 1809, Swedish remained an official language of administration, and revenue stamps continued to use Swedish terminology. The Swedish wording therefore reflects Finland's bilingual administrative heritage rather than Swedish manufacture.
Fantasy double-ended cards printed by Weilin & Göös, Helsinki, late 19th/early 20th-century. Bibliothèque nationale de France.
Although Weilin & Göös was primarily Finland's leading commercial printer rather than a specialist playing-card manufacturer, its packs display the firm's high standard of chromolithographic printing. The courts are a romanticised fantasy adaptation of the French pattern, rendered in colourful pseudo-Renaissance costume.
Bibliothèque nationale de France : Jeu de cartes finlandais au portrait de fantaisie à deux têtes ►
Peter Endebrock's Playing-card Pages : Tax Stamps from Finland ►
By Simon Wintle
Spain • Member since February 01, 1996
I am the founder of The World of Playing Cards (est. 1996), a website dedicated to the history, artistry and cultural significance of playing cards and tarot. Over the years I have researched various areas of the subject, acquired and traded collections and contributed as a committee member of the IPCS and graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal. Having lived in Chile, England, Wales, and now Spain, these experiences have shaped my work and passion for playing cards. Amongst my achievements is producing a limited-edition replica of a 17th-century English pack using woodblocks and stencils—a labour of love. Today, the World of Playing Cards is a global collaborative project, with my son Adam serving as the technical driving force behind its development. His innovative efforts have helped shape the site into the thriving hub it is today. You are warmly invited to become a contributor and share your enthusiasm.
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