Neapolitan pattern by Luigi Pignalosa, Naples

The brightly-coloured Neapolitan pattern (“Carte Napoletane”) has a rustic and traditional design with Latin (or Italo-Spanish) suit symbols. It has single-ended court cards, standing on different coloured platforms allocated to suits: yellow for coins, red for cups, blue for swords and green for clubs. The ace of coins has a double-headed eagle (uncrowned) which usually carries the maker’s name and address and the tax stamp(s). The four of coins shows the arms of Savoy. The backs of the cards are folded over the edges of the fronts forming a border. This gives the cards a sturdy feel.

Luigi Pignalosa, whose name appears on the ace of coins along with a duty stamp and his address at Strada Cerriglio A Mercanti No. 7, Naples, commenced his business in c.1870. At some point his son Raffaele took control of the business during the early years of the 20th century. In the 1940s Raffaele’s son Edoardo succeeded as the new manager until his death in 1979 which marked the end of the Pignalosa firm.

Above: Neapolitan pattern by Luigi Pignalosa, Naples, 1875. Stencil-coloured lithograph, 40 cards, 51x82 mm. The backs are printed with a double-ended representation of the Royal Palace, or "P. Reale ". © The Trustees of the British Museum

The cards are usually smaller and narrower than other standard cards, making them easier to handle. Each suit has ten cards, ace (1), numbers 2-7 with a jack, knight and king. There is no queen in the Neapolitan deck. The swords and clubs mostly do not intersect, as in Spanish-suited decks. The jack of swords holds his sword pointing downwards and a branch in his right hand. The three of clubs has a mask where the three clubs intersect. Other cards have decorative motifs which reflect local folk art traditions.

Above: Neapolitan pattern by Luigi Pignalosa, Naples, 1882. The ace of coins bears two duty stamps, below one of which is "Luigi Pignalosa, Str. Mercantial Cerriglio, Napoli". Hand-coloured woodcut, 40 cards. © The Trustees of the British Museum

See the wrapper

References

British Museum:

• Museum number 1875,1211.172-211►
• Museum number 1882,0909.97-136►

O’Donoghue, Freeman M: Catalogue of the collection of playing cards bequeathed by Lady Charlotte Schreiber (Italy 74), Trustees of the British Museum, London, 1901 [digital version here]