The World of Playing Cards Logo

The English Playing Card Society

EPCS Logo

Promoting research into English card history since 1984. Members receive the EPCS magazine three times a year.

Join from £10/year

Luxus Club Karte No.184

Published November 09, 2012 Updated July 10, 2022

Another of Dondorf's masterpieces of chromolithography, the detailed artwork on these cards has multiple tints and highlights giving the figures a brilliant, glossy character.

1900 GermanyArt & DesignDondorf

B. Dondorf: Luxus Club Karte No.184

B. Dondorf (1833-1933), Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Another of Dondorf's masterpieces of chromolithography, the detailed artwork on these cards has multiple tints and highlights giving the figures a brilliant, glossy character. The fabric of the clothes looks like velvet, the metal parts of the crown, sceptre and armour seem highly polished. The young men appear tender, young and handsome whilst the Kings have shining hair and beards. All the eyes are shining. Later editions of this deck are no longer printed so carefully, the colours blend into each other, their brilliance greatly reduced.

Dondorf's 'Luxus Club Karte No.184' Dondorf's 'Luxus Club Karte No.184'

Above & right: cards from Dondorf's 'Luxus Club Karte No.184' published c.1900 to 1916 and also exported to Denmark through the agent D. Voigt & Co. 52 cards + Joker in box; 92x60mms. Images courtesy Barney Townshend.


REFERENCES

Hoffmann, Detlef and Dietrich, Margot: "Die Dondorf'schen Luxus-Spielkarten", Harenberg, Dortmund 1983.

avatar
129 Articles

By Barney Townshend

United Kingdom • Member since October 06, 2015

Retired Airline Pilot, interested in: Transformation Playing Cards, Karl Gerich and Elaine Lewis. Secretary of the EPCS. Treasurer of the IPCS.

Activity for Luxus Club Karte No.184

Sign in to comment or save this article.


Related Articles

2025 Modern F.X. Schmid Bavarian Cards

Modern F.X. Schmid Bavarian Cards

From Plastic to Premium: The legendary F.X. Schmid Tarock & Schafkopf deck, reboxed, refreshed and r...

1867 Englische Karten nr.190

Englische Karten nr.190

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

1906 Schweizer Trachten

Schweizer Trachten

Schweizer Trachten No.174 (Costumes Suisses) by Dondorf.

Carl Arnold Transformation

Carl Arnold Transformation

Transformation playing cards designed by Carl Johann Arnold (1829-1916), the court artist for King F...

Empire No.170

Empire No.170

The Queens, who wear short sleeved dresses with bonnets adorned with chin straps and roses, hold a r...

1867 Birma Karte or Englische Karten

Birma Karte or Englische Karten

Based upon older ‘standard’ patterns, the Kings and Queens are three-quarter length figures whilst t...

Hauptstadte Spiel

Hauptstadte Spiel

Each Ace shows views of two European capital cities.

Whist No.178 ‘Stuart Zeit’

Whist No.178 ‘Stuart Zeit’

Although not historically accurate this example is subtitled “Stuart period”, with rich costumes cre...

Rokoko-Bild No.158

Rokoko-Bild No.158

This pattern was published between 1889-1933, at first with no Joker, which was added in 1906 along ...

Einköpfige Deutsche Spielkarte No.303

Einköpfige Deutsche Spielkarte No.303

Dondorf's ‘Einköpfige Deutsche Spielkarte No.303’ (‘Single-ended German Playing Cards’) were produce...

1889 Mittelalter No.150

Mittelalter No.150

These designs imitating late medieval costumes were published by B. Dondorf in Germany in various ed...

Cartes Comiques, 1870-1888

Cartes Comiques, 1870-1888

“Cartes Comiques”, published by B. Dondorf, printed by chromolithography, c.1870-1888.

1930 B. Dondorf GmbH: Neue Klubkarte No.422

B. Dondorf GmbH: Neue Klubkarte No.422

The designs are a meld between the standard international pattern and German-style French-suited car...

Deutsches Luxusbild

Deutsches Luxusbild

The court cards in this well designed double-ended pack are realistically dressed in 16th century co...

Gaigel-Karten

Gaigel-Karten

The Valets in this deck appear in costumes of the Biedermeier period, portraying sentimental and pio...

Club Karte

Club Karte

There have been many variations in the design of “Club Karte” including the introduction of borders,...

Dondorf Tarot Court Cards

Dondorf Tarot Court Cards

Dondorf Tarot Court Cards.

Dondorf Tarot Aces

Dondorf Tarot Aces

The four suits are associated with four countries: Clubs = Germany, Diamonds = UK, Spades = Russia a...

1870 Tarot Microscopique

Tarot Microscopique

French-suited tarot cards made by B. Dondorf, c.1870.


Sign in with Google