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Corsaires et Flibustiers

Published May 18, 2016 Updated March 24, 2022

“Corsaires et Flibustiers” playing cards created by G. Delluc and published by Éditions Philibert, Paris, 1958.

1958 France Philibert G. Delluc Art & Design Navy Pirates

“Corsaires et Flibustiers” playing cards (Corsairs and Buccaneers) on the theme of mariners and pirates, with wood engraved artwork created by G. Delluc Cartier, 10 rue Saint-Augustin, Paris and believed to have been published by Éditions Philibert, 1958.

“Corsaires et Flibustiers” playing cards published by Éditions Philibert, Paris, 1958
“Corsaires et Flibustiers” playing cards published by Éditions Philibert, Paris, 1958

Above: “Corsaires et Flibustiers” playing cards published by Éditions Philibert, Paris, 1958. 52 cards + 2 jokers + extra card, gold corners. Packs are known with red or blue pirate ship backs and also with alternative designs such as ornamental fishes.

Several editions of this pack are known, with slightly different sizes and differences of detail; see DXPO website

“Corsaires et Flibustiers” playing cards published by Éditions Philibert, Paris, 1958
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By Rex Pitts (1940-2021)

Member since January 30, 2009

Rex's main interest was in card games, because, he said, they were cheap and easy to get hold of in his early days of collecting. He is well known for his extensive knowledge of Pepys games and his book is on the bookshelves of many.

His other interest was non-standard playing cards. He also had collections of sheet music, music CDs, models of London buses, London Transport timetables and maps and other objects that intrigued him.

Rex had a chequered career at school. He was expelled twice, on one occasion for smoking! Despite this he trained as a radio engineer and worked for the BBC in the World Service.

Later he moved into sales and worked for a firm that made all kinds of packaging, a job he enjoyed until his retirement. He became an expert on boxes and would always investigate those that held his cards. He could always recognize a box made for Pepys, which were the same as those of Alf Cooke’s Universal Playing Card Company, who printed the card games. This interest changed into an ability to make and mend boxes, which he did with great dexterity. He loved this kind of handicraft work.

His dexterity of hand and eye soon led to his making card games of his own design. He spent hours and hours carefully cutting them out and colouring them by hand.

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