Irish Playing Card Mfg Co
Irish Playing Card Manufacturing Company.
The Irish Playing Card Mfg Co., Cork, is known to have printed some editions of non-standard cards for the publisher W & G Baird Ltd, Belfast during the 1920s celebrating Irish Heroic Mythology and Irish History. On this page we can see a pictorial souvenir pack showing Ross Castle, Killarney and an advertising pack for Vigzol motor oil printed by the Irish Playing Card Mfg Co. during the 1920s or early 1930s. Other brand names include “Society Playing Cards” and “The Diamond Playing Card”. Packs are also known published for “Great Southern Hotels”. The Ace of Spades has an Irish flavour and the standard court cards are a distinctive and attractive version of the traditional figures, with a Celtic nuance.
Above: box and cards from 'Killarney Series' playing cards made by the Irish Playing Card Mfg Co., c.1920. The manufacturer's name doesn't appear anywhere on the cards but can be read on the box (see detail above). The reverse features an engraving of Ross Castle, Killarney.
Above: Vigzol Motor Oil advertising playing cards made by the Irish Playing Card Mfg Co., 1920s.
By Simon Wintle
Spain • Member since February 01, 1996
I am the founder of The World of Playing Cards (est. 1996), a website dedicated to the history, artistry and cultural significance of playing cards and tarot. Over the years I have researched various areas of the subject, acquired and traded collections and contributed as a committee member of the IPCS and graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal. Having lived in Chile, England, Wales, and now Spain, these experiences have shaped my work and passion for playing cards. Amongst my achievements is producing a limited-edition replica of a 17th-century English pack using woodblocks and stencils—a labour of love. Today, the World of Playing Cards is a global collaborative project, with my son Adam serving as the technical driving force behind its development. His innovative efforts have helped shape the site into the thriving hub it is today. You are warmly invited to become a contributor and share your enthusiasm.
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