Hannelore Heise: “Essay” & “Gracia”

Published January 04, 2018 Updated May 24, 2025

Two charming designs by Hannelore Heise from Germany.

1967 Germany Altenburger Spielkartenfabrik Hannelore Heise Art & Design

Two charming original designs by graphic artist Hannelore Heise (1941-2021) from Germany. Hannelore Heise studied graphic design at Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design Halle during the 1960s and has worked freelance producing calligraphy, designing books, postage stamps as well as playing cards.

Both packs were printed by VEB Altenburger Spielkartenfabrik.

“Essay” by Hannelore Heise, 1967
“Essay” by Hannelore Heise, 1967 “Essay” by Hannelore Heise, 1967 “Essay” by Hannelore Heise, 1967

Above: “Essay” created by Hannelore Heise, published by VEB Altenburger Spielkartenfabrik, 1967, following the artist’s successful diploma studies. 52 cards + 3 jokers, 88mm x 58mm.


“Gracia” by Hannelore Heise, 1972

“Gracia” by Hannelore Heise, 1972

Above: “Gracia” by Hannelore Heise, published by VEB Altenburger Spielkartenfabrik, 1972.

“Gracia” by Hannelore Heise, 1972

Above: patience edition of “Gracia” by Hannelore Heise with more joker designs, published by VEB Altenburger Spielkartenfabrik, 1972. Courtesy Matt Probert.

REFERENCES & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

All images courtesy Rex Pitts unless stated otherwise.

Wikipedia : Hannelore Heise

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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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