Le Jeu de la Chance
Original designs by French artist Jean Vérame, with clubs replaced by four-leaf clovers to bring good luck.
Entrepreneur Daniel Boulogne had the idea to ask the Belgian-born French artist Jean Vérame to create this pack. He wanted the French suit of trèfles (literally trefoils, but called clubs in English) to be replaced by four-leaf clovers for good luck. Clover leaves provide extra decoration on all the Aces. Jean Vérame’s designs for the court cards closely resemble the work for which he is most famous, namely the painting of rocks in remote and desert areas in strong shades of blue, red and purple. The back design also takes up the theme of four-leaf clover and painted rocks. The pack was issued in 2000 in a signed, numbered edition of 2,000 packs. See the box►
Above: ‘Le Jeu de la Chance’ by artist Jean Vérame, printed by B.P. Grimaud for Daniel Boulogne (art entrepreneur), France, 2000. 52 cards + 2 Jokers + 2 extra cards in tuck box. Size: 58 x 89 mm. The back design is also reproduced on the back of the box.
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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