Vogelspiel

Published December 24, 2023 • Updated January 07, 2024

Vogelspiel, a German card game known as the “cuckoo game” also known as “Gnau”.

Vogelspiel is a German card game known as the "cuckoo game" and this set was produced by Antoni Fescher, c.1760, whose details can be read on the ‘Auszahlt’ card. The cuckoo card is labelled ‘Pfeiff’, others are ‘Glas’ - goblet; ‘Narr’ - fool; ‘Hex’ - witch; ‘Würste’ - sausages; ‘Werda’ - a soldier; ‘Hott’ - horse; ‘Miau’ - cat; ‘Einkehrt’ - Inn and ‘Auszahlt’ - counting house. The Cucu pack (or ‘Coucou’) is a very old game with a complex history which may have originated in Bologna, Italy. It spread to countries such as Austria, Germany, all of Scandinavia, particularly Sweden. It is known as ‘Gnau’ in Denmark and Norway.

The pack has 32 cards: 10 pairs of picture cards with titles and a series numbered I - XII.

Vogelspiel, a German card game known as the 'cuckoo game', c.1760. Source gallica.bnf.fr / BnF

Above: Vogelspiel, a German card game known as the 'cuckoo game', by Antoni Fescher, c.1760. 32 cards: stencilled woodcut; 8.6 x 5.7 cm. Square corners, blue checkered backs with dotted crosses. Source gallica.bnf.fr / Bibliothèque nationale de France • Vogelspiel►

A similar set produced by Joseph Fetscher, Munich, is in the British Museum • Museum number 1896,0501.446►

One of the house cards has the legend "Joseph Fetscher", and the other "Kartenfabrikant in München".

Vogelspiel card game produced by Joseph Fetscher in Munich, late 18th century. © The Trustees of the British Museum

Above: 20 picture cards from a 32-card Vogelspiel card game produced by Joseph Fetscher in Munich, late 18th century. Hand-coloured woodcut, backs printed with a pattern of circles and stars in blue. © The Trustees of the British Museum.

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By Simon Wintle

Spain • Member since February 01, 1996 • Contact

I am the founder of The World of Playing Cards (est. 1996), a website dedicated to the history, artistry and cultural significance of playing cards and tarot. Over the years I have researched various areas of the subject, acquired and traded collections and contributed as a committee member of the IPCS and graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal. Having lived in Chile, England, Wales, and now Spain, these experiences have shaped my work and passion for playing cards. Amongst my achievements is producing a limited-edition replica of a 17th-century English pack using woodblocks and stencils—a labour of love. Today, the World of Playing Cards is a global collaborative project, with my son Adam serving as the technical driving force behind its development. His innovative efforts have helped shape the site into the thriving hub it is today. You are warmly invited to become a contributor and share your enthusiasm.

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