Les Jeux de Pastor
Striking designs by Edouard Pastor focusing on the heads of figures from the medieval period.
Although this pack is often called Le Jeu des Têtes (The Game of Heads), that name appears nowhere on the box or on the cards. The designs by Edouard Pastor (1932-2007) are based partly on the heads of the court cards in his earlier set, Le Jeu des Personnages de l’Antiquité et du Moyen-Age, although there are substantial differences, notably in the suit of diamonds whose courts appear to resemble those of the standard French pattern. The colours used are unusual – light blue, pink and yellow – with the faces of the courts remaining uncoloured. The back design is composed of a pattern of small black dots on a blue or red ground. The cards have gilt edges. See the box
Above: Les Jeux de Pastor designed by Edouard Pastor, France, 1972. Printer unknown. 2 x 52 cards + 2 Jokers, + 1 extra card in double red box with pull-out drawer. Size: 56 x 86 mm.
This set is rarely offered for sale.
Reference
Fournier Museum Catalogue, Vol. II, France 480.
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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