South German Engraver
Conforming to an archaic format of 52 cards with banner 10s, female 'Sotas', horsemen and kings, the pack is of interest on account of a number of other packs with similar characteristics surviving elsewhere, suggesting an archaic variant of the Spanish-suited pack.

The pack of cards by the South German Engraver, c.1496
During the second half of the fifteenth century, with printing technology commercially established and playing cards widely produced, a succession of masterly German engravers practised their art and decorative playing cards reached a zenith. The The South German Engraver was one such craftsman who produced an elaborate, Gothic interpretation of the Spanish-suited pack which appears to commemorate the marriage, in 1496, of Felipe I of Spain and Doña Juana, daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella.
Sometimes referred to as "
(Click here to see enlargement and engraver's monogram)

Conforming to an archaic format of 52 cards with banner 10s, female 'Sotas', horsemen and kings, the pack is of interest on account of a number of other packs with similar characteristics surviving elsewhere, suggesting an archaic 'prototype' for the Spanish-suited genre. As can be seen, the cards are decorated - not quite 'transformed' - with birds, animals, plants, children and other miniature creatures. The suit sign of pomegranates probably alludes to the recently reclaimed kingdom of Granada. Several original examples of this pack are known, although none are coloured, and facsimile editions have also been produced.
See also:
The Upper Rhine Master of the Banderoles Early German Engraved Cards Gothic Spanish-suited Playing Cards Ambras Hunting Pack The Stuttgart Pack History Hunting Germany Spain Italy Portugal Master of the Playing-Cards Master PW Circular Playing Cards.

By Simon Wintle
Member since February 01, 1996
View ArticlesCurator and editor of the World of Playing Cards since 1996. He is a former committee member of the IPCS and was graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal for many years. He has lived at various times in Chile, England and Wales and is currently living in Extremadura, Spain. Simon's first limited edition pack of playing cards was a replica of a seventeenth century traditional English pack, which he produced from woodblocks and stencils.