Iran
Representing Iranian culture and history and intended for a Persian market, these playing cards were designed by V. Romanowski de Boncza, ordered by the Iranian government playing card monopoly at the time and printed by Thomas De la Rue & Co., Ltd, c.1937.
Iranian Popular Art Playing Cards
Representing Iranian culture and history and intended for a Persian market, these playing cards were designed by V. Romanowski de Boncza. The deck was commissioned by the Royal Iranian Government Playing Card Monopoly (Ministry of Finance) at the time and printed by De la Rue & Co., Ltd, c.1937. The double-ended court figures are wearing exotic Persian costumes from different dynasties.
Click to see: box ♣ reverse ♥ extra card.
Above: 'Iranian' playing cards designed by V. Romanowski de Boncza and first printed by De la Rue in c.1937. The cards incorporate Iranian motifs and there appear to have been more than one back design as well as a patience sized version; the cards were also re-printed by Fournier in c.1962 and again at a later date with some modifications. Images courtesy Barney Townshend and Mehdi Soozande.
Reference:
Collett, Maurice: "Iranian Playing Cards" in the Newsletter of the English Playing Card Society, Vol.23 No.83, June 2005, pp.45-47.
By Barney Townshend
Member since October 06, 2015
View ArticlesRetired Airline Pilot, interested in: Transformation Playing Cards, Karl Gerich and Elaine Lewis. Secretary of the EPCS. Treasurer of the IPCS.
Leave a Reply
Recommended
Persian Miniatures
Persian Miniatures, made in Hungary c.1990.
Burj Al Arab Jumeirah
Gold plated souvenir playing cards from the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah hotel in Dubai.
Qajar Dynasty playing cards
Qajar Dynasty playing cards, Iran, 19th century.
Les Artisans Tunisiens
“Les Artisans Tunisiens” Jeu de Sept Familles published by Éditions de la Mediterranée, Alpha S.A., Tunis
Boutros Arabic Playing Cards
Arabic playing cards designed by Evy Maros & Mourad Boutros, c.1990
David Robert
“David Robert” playing cards with artwork after Robert's Sketches in Egypt and Nubia.
Hafez Fortune Telling Cards
Fortune Tellers use the Hafez Cards by interpreting the Hāfez poems printed on the card backs when cards are selected randomly by their consultants.
Patience Indien
Karl Gerich's “Patience Indien No.16”, published in 1991, is adapted from Grimaud's “Whist Indienne” (c.1900). The double-ended courts are dressed in Arab garb.
Iran
Representing Iranian culture and history and intended for a Persian market, these playing cards were designed by V. Romanowski de Boncza, ordered by the Iranian government playing card monopoly at the time and printed by Thomas De la Rue & Co., Ltd, c.1937.
Tunisia
Playing Cards in Tunisia. Chkobba is one of the most popular card games in Tunisia, mainly played by men in coffee shops but also played at home by men and women alike.
Anonymous
Anonymous Moroccan Playing Cards for Royal Air Maroc airlines and others...
Chaudsoleil Wine
Chaudsoleil Red Wine advertising playing cards from Morocco.
Moorish playing cards
These two uncoloured, uncut sheets of early Moorish playing cards were formerly preserved in the Instituto Municipal de Historia in Barcelona.
Mamluk Playing Cards
Nã'ib, the game of lieutenants... these cards are amongst the earliest Arabic playing cards extant.
The History of Playing Cards
Playing Cards have been around in Europe since the 1370s. Some early packs were hand painted works of art which were expensive and affordable only by the wealthy. But as demand increased cheaper methods of production were discovered so that playing cards became available for everyone...
A. Camoin & Cie, Casablanca & Marseille
Spanish national pattern by A. Camoin & Cie, Casablanca & Marseille
Casablanca playing cards from Morocco
Moroccan cards with the legend 'Casablanca'.
Moroccan Bank of Commerce and Industry
Advertising pack for the Moroccan Bank of Commerce and Industry, 1986
Cartes La Gazelle, Casablanca
Cartes La Gazelle, manufactured by Imprimerie de L’Entente, Casablanca
Playing cards in Morocco
The earliest literary references to playing cards in Europe refer to the game having been introduced by a 'Saracen', and also to Moorish and Damascene varieties of playing card.
Algeria
Spanish suited playing cards produced by B. P. Grimaud (Paris) for Algeria, around 1910.