Napoleone playing cards
Long, narrow cards designed by Osvaldo Menegazzi, featuring Napoleon, Josephine and various soldiers.
Apart from Napoleon (KH) and Josephine (QH), the elongated cards in this pack depict an official and various soldiers in uniform, with dates ranging between 1792 and 1812. The designs by Osvaldo Menegazzi are single-ended, with only the court cards being numbered (10, 9, 8). The four Aces are decorated and all the pips have an ‘N’ in the centre. On the 2 of Spades, the designer has failed to remember to turn one of the pips. The cards have square corners and plain blue-green backs.
Above: Napoleone playing cards designed by Osvaldo Menegazzi (Studio Tratto, Milan). Published by Edizioni del Solleone di Vito Arienti, Lissone, Italy, 1971. 40 cards. Size: 34 x 120 mm.
Reference
Fournier Museum Catalogue, Vol. 1, Italy 227.
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 Napoleone playing cards
Sign in to comment or save this article.
Related Articles
22 Artisti Liguri in 22 Arcani
Collaborative set of major arcana devoted to Christopher Columbus and his voyages of discovery.
Carte Romantiche Italiane
Scenes of life and the theatre in Milan towards the second half of the 19th century.
Lo Stampatore
‘Lo Stampatore’ linocut images created by Sergio Favret, published as a deck of cards by Editions So...
Storia del Fascismo
Published by Il Meneghello, this pack provides a visual history of Fascism in Italy between 1919 and...
Schwarze Katze (or Gioco del Gatto Nero)
Reproduction of a 40-card transformation pack with designs by “WS”, adapted for the game of Black Ca...
Le Nuove Minchiate di Firenze
Costante Costantini's second Minchiate deck, “Le Nuove Minchiate di Firenze”, was published by Solle...
Minchiate Fiorentine
Minchiate Fiorentine created by Costante Costantini, published by Edizioni del Solleone.
Il Mercante in Fiera del Solleone
Traditional Italian card game with bold designs by Costante Costantini.
Venus et Cupidon
“Venus et Cupidon” from Costante Costantini in his distinctive woodcut style.
Italia playing cards
Small, narrow cards designed by Osvaldo Menegazzi, bearing a strong resemblance to a Swedish pattern...
La Cour Galante
‘La Cour Galante’ playing cards with erotic images by Costante Costantini, Italy, 1979.
Jeu Grotesque
Jeu Grotesque was first published in France c.1800.
Mitelli ‘Gioco di Passatempo’
Il Gioco di Passatempo contains 40 figurative playing cards depicting moral virtues and vices, dated...
Portuguese pattern
19th century Portuguese pattern, re-printed from original woodblocks.
Minchiate Fiorentine, 17th C.
17th century Minchiate cards reprinted from the original woodblocks.
Corona Ferrea
Trumps depict historical scenes primarily of the political period known as the Holy Roman Empire fro...
Tarocco Neoclassico
Gumppenberg published several new decks by artists or engravers of the day. The designs are clear an...
Tarocchino Lombardo, c.1835
“Tarocchino Lombardo c.1835”, a facsimile edition of 2500 by Edizione del Solleone, Italy, 1981.
Piedmont Pattern
The Piedmont pattern is a very close relative to the French 'Paris' pattern. The courts are not name...
Neapolitan Pattern
Cartine da Gioco Vesuvio miniature Neapolitan pattern.
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 60 days
