Le Café
Four of the great coffee-producing countries represented in a commemorative pack of playing cards.
Bold, colourful designs by Luis Fontanes depicting characters from four of the world’s greatest coffee-producing countries – Brazil, Colombia, Ivory Coast, and Indonesia – on the court cards. The pips look as if they have been lifted from a much earlier pack (from the days when cards had no indices). The back design features an early nineteenth century cafetière. The pack was issued in a limited edition to mark the 50th anniversary of Cafés Pivard S.A., Valence, France. See the box►
Above: “Le Café” playing cards manufactured by B.P. Grimaud for Cafés Pivard S.A., Valence, France, 1976. 52 cards + 2 (identical) Jokers + title card + bridge score card in tuck box. Size: 58 x 89 mm. The box is the same front and back and merely reproduces the back design.
By Roddy Somerville
France • Member since May 31, 2022
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.
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