Van Cleef & Arpels
Promotional pack created for Van Cleef & Arpels’ boutique in Geneva, Switzerland.
Packs with black backgrounds often look stunning, this one more so than most. Add heavily gilded edges and you have a luxury item for a luxury jewellery company. The red suits look fine against their black backgrounds but the black suits have necessarily had to be changed to white. The effect is completed by the addition of yellow on all the court cards and Jokers (perhaps meant to look like gold). The pips have been faceted to resemble precious gemstones. The Jokers hold octagonal plaques depicting the Place Vendome in Paris where the VCA flagship store has been located since 1906. The signature of the designer, Henri Simoni, appears at the foot of the red Joker. According to the extra card, the pack was offered to customers of VCA’s boutique in Geneva, Switzerland.
Above: Promotional pack created for Van Cleef & Arpels’ boutique in Geneva, Switzerland printed by Maitres Cartiers Boéchat Frères, and published by Editions J.C. Dusserre, Paris, France, c1980. 52 cards + 2 Jokers + 1 extra card. No box. Size: 57 x 86 mm.
By Roddy Somerville
France • Member since May 31, 2022 • Contact
Roddy started collecting stamps on his 8th birthday. In 1977 he joined the newly formed playing-card department at Stanley Gibbons in London before setting up his own business in Edinburgh four years later. His collecting interests include playing cards, postcards, stamps (especially playing cards on stamps) and sugar wrappers. He is a Past President of the Scottish Philatelic Society, a former Chairman of the IPCS, a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards and Curator of the WCMPC’s collection of playing cards. He lives near Toulouse in France.
Related Articles
Ministère des Postes et Télécommunications
Famous figures connected with the French postal service, with designs by Henri Simoni.
Les Saints Guérisseurs et Protecteurs
Healing and patron saints portrayed in paintings, manuscripts, altarpieces and statuary.
Lorilleux International
Promotional pack for Lorilleux International’s Lotus inks, with designs by James Hodges.
Jeu Bonaparte
Jeu Bonaparte depicting the extended family of Napoleon Bonaparte, France, 1978
Jeu des Bonnets Phrygiens
Reproduction of Jeu des Bonnets Phrygiens relating to the Phrygian cap (or liberty cap), France, 198...
Cartes à Jouer Fluorescentes
Standard French cards but printed with fluorescent inks on a black background.
Jeu de cartes Armelle
Advertising pack designed by James Hodges for a company specialising in regional cakes and biscuits....
Costumes Alsaciens
Typical costumes and views of Alsace together with lists of the principal sights.
Les “Œufs de Cartes” de Krasno
Egg-shaped cards created by Rodolfo Krasno employing photographic images by Michel Leclerc.
Les Chemins de Saint-Jacques
Paintings, statues, monuments and maps associated with different routes to Compostela.
Les Ordres de Chevalerie
Six orders of chivalry represented pictorially by the artist Patrick Dallanégra.
The story behind some special Jokers
How the “Gibbons” Jokers came into being.
Carmen playing cards
Characters and scenes from the 1984 film of Bizet’s most famous opera, Carmen.
Banco Borges & Irmão
Commemorating the centenary of a Portuguese bank, depicting historical figures.
Parfums Van Cleef & Arpels
Advertising pack for the perfume division of Van Cleef & Arpels.
Parfums Gianni Versace
Advertising pack for Gianni Versace perfumes.
Maisons-Alfort à la “Belle Epoque”
Celebrating 1,000 years of the town of Maisons-Alfort (988-1988) with designs by Henri Simoni.
Alcatel
Alcatel playing cards published by Éditions Dusserre, c.1970s
Jeu Romantique de Nanteuil
“Jeu Romantique de Nanteuil” published by Éditions Dusserre, Paris, based on originals published in ...
Éditions Dusserre, Paris
Éditions Dusserre, Paris.
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 60 days
