Mercante in Fiera di Jacovitti
Traditional Italian card game with comic designs by Benito Jacovitti.
The traditional Italian card game Mercante in Fiera (in English, Merchant at the Fair) uses two packs of 40 cards, each with a different back colour or design. In this set, the famous Italian comic artist Benito Jacovitti (1923-1997) has created humorous, sometimes crazy designs, often playing on or distorting Italian words for comic effect. Each image is set against a strong background colour. The cards are numbered 1 to 40, each with a title in Italian. The accompanying rules are in Italian only. See the rules leaflet►
Above: ‘Mercante in Fiera di Jacovitti’ card game printed and published by Modiano, Trieste, Italy, c1975. 2 x 40 cards + leaflet with rules in Italian in tuck box. Size: 63.5 x 88 mm.
• See the box►
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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