Iduna Skat
Advertising pack for a Hamburg building society featuring pigs in disguise.
Presumably pigs feature prominently in this pack because of the traditional association of pigs with saving money (as in ‘piggy banks’). The non-standard court cards depict rather ugly pigs heavily disguised to look something like standard Berliner pattern courts. There is a slogan for the building society on the back which translates as something like “With home savings you always have an ace up your sleeve”.
Above: Iduna Skat playing cards made by A.S.S., Leinfelden, Germany, c1996. 32 cards + 1 rules card (for Skat) in plastic box. Size: 59 x 91 mm.
By Roddy Somerville
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.
Trending Articles
Popular articles from the past 28 days
Related Articles
Woodblock and Stencil Queen of Clubs
A limited edition art print of the Queen of Clubs 1984 woodblock joker.
Woodblock and Stencil Jack of Hearts
A limited edition art print of the Jack of Hearts 1984 woodblock joker.
Woodblock and Stencil King of Diamonds
A limited edition art print of the King of Diamonds 1984 woodblock joker.
Woodblock and Stencil Joker
A limited edition art print of the 1984 woodblock joker.
Costumes of Turkey Tarot
‘National Costumes of Turkey’ tarot by Industrie Comptoir, Leipzig, c.1800-1825.
Natural History Tarot
Natural History Tarot published by G M, Germany, early 19th C.
Æsop’s Fables tarot
French-suited Æsop’s fables tarot produced by Leipzig Industrie Comptoir, c.1800-1825.
Das Nassauische Kartenspiel
Pack conceived by Berthold Conradi, commemorating the 700th anniversary of the granting of town righ...
Jägerkarte Nr.465
Dondorf Jägerkarte Nr. 465 playing cards dedicated to the theme of hunting, c.1930.
Englische Karten nr.190
Dondorf Nr.190“Englische Karten”, 1867-1895.
Möbel-Spiel
Publicity pack for the East German furniture industry, with designs by Werner-Hans Schlegel.
Hand-painted and Silk-inlaid playing cards
Complete pack of 36 hand-painted and silk-inlaid playing cards with French suits made in Germany.
Postillion Schafkopf
Postillion Schafkopf dedicated to the history of the German postal service.
Moorish Deck
Review of “Trzes’ Moorish Deck” facsimile published by Ulrich Kaltenborn, Berlin, 2023.
Bankunión playing cards
Ingredients and recipes for 24 dishes from different regions of Spain.
Schweden Spielkarten
54 different souvenir views of famous people and places in Sweden.
Burgdorf Abschreckhärtetechnik
Promotional pack for a German steel hardening business, with designs by Costante Costantini.
Early German playing cards
Some early examples of popular German playing cards from the XV and XVI centuries.
South American Costumes
Costumes of people of Brazil, Peru and Mexico, with views of Rio de Janeiro on the aces.
Vues et Caractères Suisses No.228
A Swiss souvenir pack by Dondorf
Spielkarten für Sammler
Cards on cards in celebration of playing-card collector Franz Braun’s 75th birthday.
Cards on Cards (E.H. Locker)
Artist Edward Locker’s view of London life in 1799, using every card in the pack as part of the pict...
WW2 German Propaganda Playing Cards
showing satirical portraits of Allied leaders and politicians
Wolfgang Dorn Werbe
Designs by Jürgen Pankarz for the 20th anniversary of the Wolfgang Dorn advertising agency, Cologne....
Bilder zum Tarot
Detailed pen and ink drawings of the major arcana by the German artist Helmut Wonschick.
Eisbergfreistadt Panoramische Spielkarte 1923
‘Iceberg Free State 1923’ fantasy playing cards with a cautionary moral lesson, Germany, 2006.
Das Tübinger Skatspiel
Pack devised by Volker Scheub depicting characters associated with the city of Tübingen.
Dallas playing cards
Seven of the top stars from the famous TV series Dallas.
Nokia II
Advertising pack for the Finnish firm Nokia showing different mobile phones.
Nordbräu Ingolstadt
Publicity pack for the German brewery Nordbräu with Bavarian pattern courts (adapted).
Wicküler Skat
Publicity pack for the German brewery Wicküler with courts merrily drinking beer.
Deutsche Dampflokomotiven
German steam locomotives from the period 1892 to 1950.
Mercedes-Benz Skat
Classy-looking designs by Monika Dostler for a manufacturer of posh cars.
Bahlsen Skat
Publicity pack for a German food company, featuring some of their products.
Calliope: a Renaissance band
Facsimile of cards attributed to Hans Schäufelein (c. 1480-1540) produced by ‘Calliope’, a New York ...
Rombach + Co Skat
Publicity pack designed by Uschi Dorner for a bookshop in Freiburg im Breisgau.
B & K Skat
Publicity pack designed by Henning Loerzer for Busskamp & Koch, an advertising agency in Munich.
Overstolz Cigaretten
Colourful publicity playing cards for a brand of German cigarettes.
Iduna Skat
Advertising pack for a Hamburg building society featuring pigs in disguise.
Tarock Schafkopf zum Wahlkampf 1990
Playing cards issued to mark the German federal elections held on 2 December 1990.
52 Transformierte Spielkarten
Modern transformation pack including some saucy images created by Siegfried Heilmeier.
Sternenmädchens Wahrsagespiel Tarot
A colourful 1970s take on the major arcana designed by Peter Geitner, with titles in German.
Papst Quartett
A quartet game featuring a selection of popes up to Benedict XVI.
Belgian Souvenir playing cards
made in Germany by C.L. Wüst