The Lovers playing cards
Reproductions of old postcards with romantic messages for Valentine’s Day.
Greetings cards for Valentine’s Day started to become popular in the early 19th century. By 1841, around 400,000 were being sent every year in Great Britain alone. Postcards, such as the ones reproduced in this pack, became even more popular than greetings cards because they were cheaper to post. Angels, putti, children, hearts and roses figure prominently amongst the 54 different designs. All are in vertical format.
Above: The Lovers playing cards published by Lo Scarabeo, Turin, Italy, 2003. 52 cards + 2 Jokers + 1 title card + 5 extra cards with explanatory text in English, Italian, Spanish, French and German, in tuck box. Size: 58 x 88 mm. © 2003 Lo Scarabeo
The first edition of these cards had a pink back and a pink box. A later edition had a red back and a (slightly smaller) red box. See the boxes►
I'm also including scans of six Valentine's Day postcards from my own collection. These images are not included in the pack but all have playing cards in the design. They date from c1910-12.
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.
Activity for The Lovers playing cards
Sign in to comment or save this article.
Related Articles
Late flowering of the Lyon pattern
Faustino Solesio’s late version of the Lyon pattern from about 1870.
Le carte da gioco Arcimboldo
Courts and suit-signs inspired by the works of the Italian Renaissance painter, Giuseppe Arcimboldo....
Dylan Dog
Characters and objects from the Italian comic book series Dylan Dog, written by Tiziano Sciavi and d...
Royal Britain
Pack devised by Pietro Alligo depicting English monarchs from Alfred the Great to Elizabeth II.
I Tarocchi del Buongustaio
A less-than-serious set of major arcana on a gourmet theme, with designs by Cosimo Musio.
Pinocchio playing cards
Comic book drawings inspired by Carlo Collodi’s children’s classic, Pinocchio.
Il Vostro Destino
Italian fortune-telling pack produced by Viassone and later by Masenghini.
Carte Osteologiche
Skulls and bones of all descriptions have become the suits and pips in this 40-card pack from Italy....
Hot-Air Balloons & Co.
Hot-air balloons and airships from the early days to 1988, with designs by S. Baraldi and F. Tacconi...
I Tarocchi del Cinema (di Sesar)
A set of Tarot trumps on the subject of the cinema, with designs by Sergio Sarri.
Art Nouveau Oracle
A Lenormand-type fortune-telling pack in the Art Nouveau style.
Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico
Promotional pack for Chianti Classico wine, with designs by Costante Costantini.
Florentine pattern variant
Non-standard designs by Chiari of Florence with some of the features of a traditional Florentine pat...
Diabolik Poker
Characters from the Italian comic series Diabolik, with designs by Paolo and Sergio Zaniboni.
Modet Sardegna
Costumes, masks and symbols from the island of Sardinia, with designs by Luciano Dettori and Tonino ...
Ethiopian playing cards
A pack with court cards reflecting different ethnic and cultural groups found in Ethiopia.
Marvel Poker
Marvel comic book characters on a pack from Italy with designs by Marco Nizzoli.
Fernando Valenti
Designs by Italian artist Fernando Valenti issued to coincide with an exhibition of his work in 1986...
Fake ‘Four Seasons’ pattern
More than just a copy, this is a fake!
William Tell
Facsimile of Swiss William Tell deck from c.1870 published by Lo Scarabeo.
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 60 days
