The World of Playing Cards Logo
Published August 29, 2020 Updated July 19, 2022

Deutsche Nutzpflanzen

Deutsche Nutzpflanzen - Quartett game promoting Kali brand crop fertilizer, 1938.

1938 Germany Advertising Food & Cooking Medical & Pharmaceutical Nature & Environment Quartet Add to Collection

The 36 cards in this promotional card game are beautifully illustrated showing fruits and crops with vignettes suggestive of health and vitality. Kali were manufacturers of fertilisers hence the inscription on the card backs “Kalidünger Erntebringer” meaning “Kali fertilizer Increases your earnings” - along with a bundle of ears of corn and two crossed hammers. The final set of four cards showcases their products for soil improvement. See the Rules

Deutsche Nutzpflanzen - Quartett game promoting Kali brand crop fertilizer, 1938
Deutsche Nutzpflanzen - Quartett game promoting Kali brand crop fertilizer, 1938
Deutsche Nutzpflanzen - Quartett game promoting Kali brand crop fertilizer, 1938 Deutsche Nutzpflanzen - Quartett game promoting Kali brand crop fertilizer, 1938 Deutsche Nutzpflanzen - Quartett game promoting Kali brand crop fertilizer, 1938 Deutsche Nutzpflanzen - Quartett game promoting Kali brand crop fertilizer, 1938 Deutsche Nutzpflanzen - Quartett game promoting Kali brand crop fertilizer, 1938

Above: Deutsche Nutzpflanzen - Quartett game promoting Kali brand crop fertilizer, Kali-Industrie, 1938. 36 cards . Rules on the back of the box.

avatar
773 Articles

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.


Related Articles

Woodblock and Stencil Queen of Clubs

Woodblock and Stencil Queen of Clubs

A limited edition art print of the Queen of Clubs 1984 woodblock joker.

Woodblock and Stencil Jack of Clubs

Woodblock and Stencil Jack of Clubs

A limited edition art print of the Jack of Clubs 1984 woodblock joker.

Woodblock and Stencil King of Diamonds

Woodblock and Stencil King of Diamonds

A limited edition art print of the King of Diamonds 1984 woodblock joker.

Woodblock and Stencil Jack of Hearts

Woodblock and Stencil Jack of Hearts

A limited edition art print of the Jack of Hearts 1984 woodblock joker.

2007 Shrek the Third playing cards

Shrek the Third playing cards

Characters from the 2007 film Shrek the Third, a DreamWorks Animation production.

1983 Jeu de cartes Armelle

Jeu de cartes Armelle

Advertising pack designed by James Hodges for a company specialising in regional cakes and biscuits....

1970 Louis De Poortere

Louis De Poortere

Psychedelic designs promoting Louis De Poortere, a company selling carpets and rugs.

2019 Murphy Varnish pack

Murphy Varnish pack

Reproduction of the 1883 Murphy Varnish transformation pack, USA, 2019

1985 Das Nassauische Kartenspiel

Das Nassauische Kartenspiel

Pack conceived by Berthold Conradi, commemorating the 700th anniversary of the granting of town righ...

2019 Pendleton playing cards

Pendleton playing cards

Pendleton playing cards inspired by indigenous American artwork, USA, 2019.

1930 Jägerkarte Nr.465

Jägerkarte Nr.465

Dondorf Jägerkarte Nr. 465 playing cards dedicated to the theme of hunting, c.1930.

1867 Englische Karten nr.190

Englische Karten nr.190

Dondorf Nr.190“Englische Karten”, 1867-1895.

2010 Specsavers playing cards

Specsavers playing cards

to help you see better when playing cards

2020 3-D Dino Cards

3-D Dino Cards

Lenticular images of different, unnamed dinosaurs on all-plastic cards.

2004 On-line offsite data backup

On-line offsite data backup

On-line offsite data backup publicity playing cards produced by The Bunker, United Kingdom, c. 2004....

2002 The Famous Dinosaurs Playing Cards

The Famous Dinosaurs Playing Cards

54 different dinosaurs, both large and small, illustrated by Cecilia Fitzsimons.

1968 Möbel-Spiel

Möbel-Spiel

Publicity pack for the East German furniture industry, with designs by Werner-Hans Schlegel.

1690 Hand-painted and Silk-inlaid playing cards

Hand-painted and Silk-inlaid playing cards

Complete pack of 36 hand-painted and silk-inlaid playing cards with French suits made in Germany.

1986 Clamcleats playing cards

Clamcleats playing cards

Clamcleats playing cards for sailors designed by Celia Allison, New Zealand, 1986.

1994 Postillion Schafkopf

Postillion Schafkopf

Postillion Schafkopf dedicated to the history of the German postal service.

Pretty Frills

Pretty Frills

‘Pretty Frills’ playing cards promoting curtain and blind accessories.

2017 Netter playing cards

Netter playing cards

Anatomical playing cards published by Elsevier, USA, 2017.

2023 Moorish Deck

Moorish Deck

Review of “Trzes’ Moorish Deck” facsimile published by Ulrich Kaltenborn, Berlin, 2023.

1981 Bankunión playing cards

Bankunión playing cards

Ingredients and recipes for 24 dishes from different regions of Spain.

1971 Gibert Jeune

Gibert Jeune

Publicity pack for Gibert Jeune, the famous Parisian bookshop, with designs by James Hodges.

1994 Schweden Spielkarten

Schweden Spielkarten

54 different souvenir views of famous people and places in Sweden.

1990 The Saab 900 Convertible playing cards

The Saab 900 Convertible playing cards

A flicker pack with different backs, advertising the Saab 900 Convertible motor car.

1933 De La Rue 1932-1933 Sample Book of Advertising cards

De La Rue 1932-1933 Sample Book of Advertising cards

Complete contents of a sample book of advertising cards by De La Rue

2003 A Gardener’s Labyrinth

A Gardener’s Labyrinth

Photographs of flowers, herbs and vegetables by leading photographer Tessa Traeger.

1981 Burgdorf Abschreckhärtetechnik

Burgdorf Abschreckhärtetechnik

Promotional pack for a German steel hardening business, with designs by Costante Costantini.

1967 Glico Almond Chocolate

Glico Almond Chocolate

Glico Almond Chocolate playing cards with designs by Izumi Tamai, produced by Nintendo, Japan.

Kushimoto Marine Park

Kushimoto Marine Park

Kushimoto Marine Park souvenir playing cards published by Nintendo, Japan.

1450 Early German playing cards

Early German playing cards

Some early examples of popular German playing cards from the XV and XVI centuries.

1991 Handmade Ganjifa Birds Playing Cards

Handmade Ganjifa Birds Playing Cards

This set of Ganjifa cards is a beautiful example of traditional cards from India.

2023 Carte Bolognesi

Carte Bolognesi

New designs reinforcing Bologna’s reputation as the gastronomic capital of Italy.

What can we learn from mini-booklet advertisements?

What can we learn from mini-booklet advertisements?

Over the years I have collected a large number of mini-booklets and pocket guides offering rules and...

1860 South American Costumes

South American Costumes

Costumes of people of Brazil, Peru and Mexico, with views of Rio de Janeiro on the aces.

2018 Victorian Cookery

Victorian Cookery

‘Victorian cookery’ playing cards produced by Cultzilla, United Kingdom, c. 2018.

1870 Vues et Caractères Suisses No.228

Vues et Caractères Suisses No.228

A Swiss souvenir pack by Dondorf

1880 Joseph Bardou & Fils cigarette papers

Joseph Bardou & Fils cigarette papers

Delightful pack advertising Joseph Bardou & Fils cigarette papers for the Philippines.

1998 Spielkarten für Sammler

Spielkarten für Sammler

Cards on cards in celebration of playing-card collector Franz Braun’s 75th birthday.

1982 Cards on Cards (E.H. Locker)

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...

New Environment deck

New Environment deck

New environment deck / Nouveau jeu de cartes sur l’environnement, Canada.

La Baie James

La Baie James

Playing cards documenting the James Bay hydro-electricity project on the La Grande River in north-we...