A Spanish Deck in Transition by Hermanos Bosio

Produced in Genoa by Hermanos Bosio (active 1804-1834) during a period of active Mediterranean exchange, this deck embodies the fluidity of the so-called ‘Spanish National’ pattern at that time. Its overall structure adheres to the Spanish model, but the sota of coins shows a figure usually found in the ‘Parisian Spanish’ pattern or cards made for North Africa. This probably reflects the practical realities of cardmaking where designs circulated freely, where engravers often worked from a mixture of pattern families, borrowed exemplars and workshop convenience.

Cardmakers like Bosio were less concerned with strict pattern orthodoxy than with producing a saleable deck. The result captures a moment of stylistic overlap — where Spanish, French, and Italian traditions converged, revealing how playing card imagery evolved not in isolation, but through continuous adaptation across borders. As is shown (further below) the wrapper design was likely adapted from that of the Cadiz cardmaker Mariano Maffei.

Above: cards and wrapper from a hybrid Spanish National pattern by Hermanos Bosio, Genoa, Italy, early 19th century. Images courtesy Enrique García Martín.

The handwritten text on the wrapper reads:

Captured at Matamoros-
Mexico-
May 21. 1841.
Col. (colonel) J.... (illegible).

From the above we assume the pack was originally destined fpr Latin America, Mexico in this instance. It was found unopened in the wrapper.

Similar wrapper by Mariano Maffei, Cadiz, 1826

Above: from the collection of Alberto Pérez González