The World of Playing Cards Logo

Les Grandes Figures de L’Histoire Bretonne

Published November 26, 2018 Updated June 19, 2022

Les Grandes Figures de L’Histoire Bretonne

1980 France Art & Design Brittany Celtic Myths & Legends

Les Grandes Figures de L’Histoire Bretonne playing cards with Celtic motifs and historic or legendary persons on the court cards. For example, Saint Tryphine appears on the Q♠ and Conomor (K♠) was a legendary villain in Breton culture. The K♣ features Erispoë, a historic king of Brittany, with Marmohec his wife who gave him two children: a son, Conan (J♣) and a daughter. The K♥ is Gradlon the Great, a semi-legendary 5th century “king” of Cornouaille who became the hero of many Breton folk stories. Each ace has of a "Celtic knot" design. See the Box

Les Grandes Figures de L’Histoire Bretonne by 2 Hermines Production, c.1980s Les Grandes Figures de L’Histoire Bretonne by 2 Hermines Production, c.1980s

Above: Les Grandes Figures de L’Histoire Bretonne deck published by 2 Hermines Production, c.1980s (manufacturer unknown). 52 cards + 3 identical jokers in box. Images courtesy Matt Probert.

avatar
307 Articles

By Matt Probert

Member since March 02, 2012

I have adored playing cards since before I was seven years old, and was brought up on packs of Waddington's No 1. As a child I was fascinated by the pictures of the court cards.

Over the next fifty years I was seduced by the artwork in Piatnik's packs and became a collector of playing cards.

Seeking more information about various unidentified packs I discovered the World of Playing Cards website and became an enthusiastic contributor researching and documenting different packs of cards.

I describe my self as a playing card archaeologist, using detective work to identify and date obscure packs of cards discovered in old houses, flea markets and car boot sales.

Related Articles

1860 Catalan pattern by B.P Grimaud

Catalan pattern by B.P Grimaud

Standard Spanish Catalan pattern deck made in Paris by B.P Grimaud.

1798 Pam is the Knave of Clubs

Pam is the Knave of Clubs

Playing cards as metaphors in 18th century art - from fate, chance and social hierarchy t...

1872 Cartes politiques : Jeu d'actualité

Cartes politiques : Jeu d'actualité

Political playing cards published by Grimaud et Chartier, Paris, 1872.

1983 Le Poker Politique

Le Poker Politique

French politicians and various world leaders caricatured by the German artist Bubec.

1630 Swiss playing cards by Iehan Hemau

Swiss playing cards by Iehan Hemau

17th century Swiss-suited playing cards by Iehan Hemau of Épinal.

1990 Leadmill playing cards

Leadmill playing cards

Promotional pack for an arts centre in Sheffield with designs by Martin F. Bedford.

1988 SCOR playing cards

SCOR playing cards

Bizarre and fantastical images by the artist Roland Topor for the SCOR reinsurance company.

1988 Il Tarocco Mitologico

Il Tarocco Mitologico

Fully pictorial Tarot designed by Amerigo Folchi with figures mainly from Greek mythology.

Archaic Franco-Spanish pattern

Archaic Franco-Spanish pattern

Archaic Franco-Spanish pattern by Guillaume & Jean Grossard (Bordeaux).

2010 Typographic Playing Cards

Typographic Playing Cards

Typographic Playing Cards designed by Jim Sutherland, c.2010.

2022 Damn! Fools by Moon

Damn! Fools by Moon

Damn! Fools playing cards designed by Leo Scherfig, 2022.

1972 Les Jeux de Pastor

Les Jeux de Pastor

Striking designs by Edouard Pastor focusing on the heads of figures from the medieval period.

1971 Le Jeu des Personnages de l’Antiquité et du Moyen-Age

Le Jeu des Personnages de l’Antiquité et du Moyen-Age

Edouard Pastor’s designs in black and gold inspired by Antiquity and the Middle Ages.

Rouen Pattern  - Portrait Rouennais

Rouen Pattern - Portrait Rouennais

An attractive XV century French-suited design from Rouen became the standard English & Anglo-America...

1980 Crown Hill playing cards

Crown Hill playing cards

Crown Hill playing cards with illustrations by Corrine Guiney, USA,

1708 Archaic Spanish proof sheets

Archaic Spanish proof sheets

2 x uncoloured proof sheets of archaic Spanish-suited playing cards produced for “New Spain”, possib...