Carte da Gioco Mongolfiere
Various hot-air balloons on a pack from a small Florentine publisher.
Hot-air balloons (Montgolfières in French; Mongolfiere in Italian) have held a fascination among the public ever since the Montgolfier brothers of Annonay, France, sent up the first one in 1783. On the faces of these cards, there are coloured illustrations of 14 different balloons, the designs being repeated on the same card in each suit. It is not clear whether the designs were created especially for this pack or whether they were taken from elsewhere. There is no border front or back. The Kings, Queens and Jacks are named in English (top and bottom), while the Aces are named in Italian. See the sleeve►
Above: Carte da Gioco Mongolfiere published by Ed. Papier Arti e Mestieri, Florence, Italy, 2000. 52 cards + 2 (identical) Jokers tied with raffia in a black sleeve. Size: 62 x 87 mm.
By Roddy Somerville
France • Member since May 31, 2022
Roddy started collecting stamps on his 8th birthday. In 1977 he joined the newly formed playing-card department at Stanley Gibbons in London before setting up his own business in Edinburgh four years later. His collecting interests include playing cards, postcards, stamps (especially playing cards on stamps) and sugar wrappers. He is a Past President of the Scottish Philatelic Society, a former Chairman of the IPCS, a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards and Curator of the WCMPC’s collection of playing cards. He lives near Toulouse in France.
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