Sicilia in Acquerello
Souvenir playing cards from Sicily using watercolours rather than photographs.
It is always nice to come across a souvenir pack which uses something other than photographic images. In this instance, watercolours convey the message, albeit only 19 different ones, with a lot of random repetition. Each view is named beneath the image. The Joker features the three-legged emblem of Sicily (triskele). The cards have a glossy finish. The attractive tuck box shows an old map of the island with the principal sights marked on it. See the box►
Above: souvenir playing cards from Sicily printed by Stampa GMC, Settimo Milanese, for Smeraldi Edizioni, Palermo, Italy, c2020 (or earlier). 52 cards + 2 Jokers in tuck box. Size: 63 x 87 mm. Purchased in Palermo, September 2022.
By Roddy Somerville
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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