Spielkarten in Bromsilber-Photographie

This limited facsimile edition of 800 packs was published in 1983 by Vito Arienti of Edizioni del Solleone. It is a reproduction of a German pack originally produced by the Verlag der Neuen Photographischen Gesellschaft in Berlin, c. 1900.

There are 52 cards, plus 2 jokers and an extra card showing a young woman holding a medallion which reads “Gestzlich Geschutzt NPG”. The court cards are identified by the appropriate suit sign at the top left and bottom right of the card, whilst the 2 of each suit is represented by the appropriate suit sign at the top and bottom centre of the card. All cards have plain backs, square corners and no corner indices. The cards, including the pip cards, show photographs of actors and actresses from the Berlin Theatre wearing stage costumes and standing against painted set decorations. The Ace of Hearts has two tax stamps and there is also a maker's trademark on the Jack of Clubs. See the box►

Above: “Spielkarten in Bromsilber-Photographie” facsimile edition by Vito Arienti of Edizioni del Solleone, Italy, 1983.

An original German pack from the Stuart and Marilyn R. Kaplan collection was sold at Christies, 2006 here►

Note from Roddy Somerville

In the Arienti reprint of this pack, there are in fact two stamps on the Ace of Hearts, both Italian.

The Jokers, of course, are not original. They have been added to the reprint and are merely copies of the King of Spades and the King of Hearts.

It should be noted, too, that these images were also used on a set of postcards. I have 24 out of the 52. Only one of mine has been postally used - sent from and to Brussels in 1905. No red colouring has been added to the red suits - they are left plain white. The trademark which appears on the Jack of Clubs in the pack of cards is present on every one of the postcards. Fortunately, I have the Ace of Hearts which does bear a German tax stamp. This suggests that someone in the German tax office thought that the whole set of postcards might actually be used to play a game of cards! - R.S

See 4 postcards►