The World of Playing Cards Logo
Published June 15, 2014 Updated March 08, 2023

Carte per Signora

“Carte per Signora” patience pack was produced by Fratelli Armanino, Genova, in c.1897.

1897 Italy Fratelli Armanino Chromolithography Miniature Patience Add to Collection
“Carte per Signora” produced by Fratelli Armanino, Genova, c.1897

“Carte per Signora”

“Carte per Signora” patience sized pack was produced by Fratelli Armanino, Genova, in c.1897, printed in chromolithography with double-ended scenic aces. The texts on the aces are in Italian. The cards do in fact closely resemble Dondorf's “Four Continents patience” (first published in c.1870) which also depicts imaginary persons and scenes from four continents, suggesting a degree of rivalry between the two firms. The Armanino brothers' firm operated in Genova until the 1920s when it moved to Rome and operated until c.1960.

“Carte per Signora” produced by Fratelli Armanino, Genova, c.1897

Above & right: “Carte per Signora” with double-ended scenic aces produced by Fratelli Armanino, 52 cards, Genova, c.1897. The four of diamonds has the tax stamp, with ‘Mercury’ facing left, and the value of 30 centesimi (used 1883 to 1914). Above this is the Genova tax office stamp dated 1897. Card size: 43x65 mms. Images courtesy Rex Pitts.

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 Joker

Woodblock and Stencil Joker

A limited edition art print of the 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.

1977 Lo Stampatore

Lo Stampatore

‘Lo Stampatore’ linocut images created by Sergio Favret, published as a deck of cards by Editions So...

2015 Leonardo collection

Leonardo collection

Leonardo collection playing cards with drawings from his notebooks.

1981 Lo Cartescacco / Chess playing cards

Lo Cartescacco / Chess playing cards

Playing cards designed by F. Romagnoli bringing together Chess and Bridge, Italy, c. 1981.

1989 Il Vostro Destino

Il Vostro Destino

Italian fortune-telling pack produced by Viassone and later by Masenghini.

1978 San Paolo Shakespeare

San Paolo Shakespeare

San Paolo Shakespeare, Italy, 1978

1993 Le Carte di Forattini

Le Carte di Forattini

Political caricatures by Giorgio Forattini published by Arnoldo Mondadori Editore, Italy, 1993.

1983 San Paolo Chekhov

San Paolo Chekhov

Characters from Chekhov’s plays designed by Paolo Fresu for San Paolo Istituto Bancario, Italy, c.19...

Storia del Fascismo - gioco di carte

Storia del Fascismo - gioco di carte

‘Storia del Fascismo’ playing cards depicting persons, symbols and artifacts associated with Italian...

1904 Miniature Card Dominoes

Miniature Card Dominoes

A miniature set of Goodall domino cards (5.9 x 3.5 cms) still in perfect condition.

2003 The Lovers playing cards

The Lovers playing cards

Reproductions of old postcards with romantic messages for Valentine’s Day.

1985 I Gatti Originali di Evelyne Nicod

I Gatti Originali di Evelyne Nicod

Etchings of cats on a set of major arcana created by Evelyne Nicod.

1978 Carte Osteologiche

Carte Osteologiche

Skulls and bones of all descriptions have become the suits and pips in this 40-card pack from Italy....

1973 Marcello Morandini

Marcello Morandini

Modern designs by Italian artist Marcello Morandini using the simplest of forms and colours.

1987 Sylvanian Families mini playing cards

Sylvanian Families mini playing cards

Miniature cards in sheet form with Sylvanian Families characters on the courts and Jokers.

1810 Miniature playing cards by Joseph Fetscher

Miniature playing cards by Joseph Fetscher

Uncut sheet of miniature Bavarian playing cards by Joseph Fetscher.

1989 Storia del Fascismo

Storia del Fascismo

Published by Il Meneghello, this pack provides a visual history of Fascism in Italy between 1919 and...

2021 Jack-O’-Lantern Tarot

Jack-O’-Lantern Tarot

Giuliano Costa's Jack-O’-Lantern tarot blends Rider-Waite symbolism with the rich and atmospheric th...

1984 Schwarze Katze (or Gioco del Gatto Nero)

Schwarze Katze (or Gioco del Gatto Nero)

Reproduction of a 40-card transformation pack with designs by “WS”, adapted for the game of Black Ca...

2006 Hot-Air Balloons & Co.

Hot-Air Balloons & Co.

Hot-air balloons and airships from the early days to 1988, with designs by S. Baraldi and F. Tacconi...

2000 Carte da Gioco Mongolfiere

Carte da Gioco Mongolfiere

Various hot-air balloons on a pack from a small Florentine publisher.

1859 The Origin of Patience Games in English

The Origin of Patience Games in English

Jessel’s Bibliography of works in English on Playing Cards and Gaming describes “The first book on P...

1975 Mercante in Fiera di Jacovitti

Mercante in Fiera di Jacovitti

Traditional Italian card game with comic designs by Benito Jacovitti.

1981 Le Nuove Minchiate di Firenze

Le Nuove Minchiate di Firenze

Costante Costantini's second Minchiate deck, “Le Nuove Minchiate di Firenze”, was published by Solle...

1906 Bolognese pattern

Bolognese pattern

Standard Bolognese pattern pack by Murari of Bari.

1980 Minchiate Fiorentine

Minchiate Fiorentine

Minchiate Fiorentine created by Costante Costantini, published by Edizioni del Solleone.

1995 I Tarocchi del Cinema (di Sesar)

I Tarocchi del Cinema (di Sesar)

A set of Tarot trumps on the subject of the cinema, with designs by Sergio Sarri.

1975 Le carte della Fortuna

Le carte della Fortuna

Modern Italian fortune-telling pack from 1975, with designs by Sergio Ruffolo.

2007 Art Nouveau Oracle

Art Nouveau Oracle

A Lenormand-type fortune-telling pack in the Art Nouveau style.

1979 Tarocco Indovino

Tarocco Indovino

Sergio Ruffolo’s “Tarocco Indovino” is an expanded version of his “Lo Zodiaco” cartomancy deck.

1915 Goodall 1915-1916 Sample Book

Goodall 1915-1916 Sample Book

Complete contents of a sample book by Goodall & Sons

1986 Il Mercante in Fiera del Solleone

Il Mercante in Fiera del Solleone

Traditional Italian card game with bold designs by Costante Costantini.

1985 Venus et Cupidon

Venus et Cupidon

“Venus et Cupidon” from Costante Costantini in his distinctive woodcut style.

1970 Italia playing cards

Italia playing cards

Small, narrow cards designed by Osvaldo Menegazzi, bearing a strong resemblance to a Swedish pattern...

1971 Napoleone playing cards

Napoleone playing cards

Long, narrow cards designed by Osvaldo Menegazzi, featuring Napoleon, Josephine and various soldiers...

1976 Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico

Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico

Promotional pack for Chianti Classico wine, with designs by Costante Costantini.

Card Game Items and contemporary advertisements

Card Game Items and contemporary advertisements

It is often difficult to identify the origin, manufacturer and date of a card game boxed set and oth...

1981 Burgdorf Abschreckhärtetechnik

Burgdorf Abschreckhärtetechnik

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

Cribbage Patience or Cribbage Squares

Cribbage Patience or Cribbage Squares

Cribbage Patience or Cribbage Squares, produced by Messrs Edward Mortimer, Halifax and London.

P. Buscaglia: Spanish-suited cards

P. Buscaglia: Spanish-suited cards

Spanish-suited cards published by P. Buscaglia, Mele & Genova.

2023 Carte Bolognesi

Carte Bolognesi

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