I Trionfi d’Amore
Tarot trumps designed by Juan Ballesta and inspired by 1970s pop culture, promoting Baci chocolates.
Juan Ballesta (born 1935), the Spanish artist who designed these cards, worked in Perugia from 1965 to 1978 so it is not surprising that he created these designs for Baci, a company based in Perugia. The style is inspired by 1970s pop culture and is somewhat reminiscent of the animations in Monty Python’s Flying Circus. A single, strong background colour is used for each card. The titles are in Italian. This limited edition set was never sold separately but rather it was offered to customers buying Baci chocolates. See the box►
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.
Related Articles
Woodblock and Stencil Queen of Clubs
A limited edition art print of the Queen of Clubs 1984 woodblock joker.
Woodblock and Stencil Joker
A limited edition art print of the 1984 woodblock joker.
Woodblock and Stencil King of Diamonds
A limited edition art print of the King of Diamonds 1984 woodblock joker.
Woodblock and Stencil Jack of Clubs
A limited edition art print of the Jack of Clubs 1984 woodblock joker.
Poker Lusso
Richly costumed courts on a luxury poker pack from Masenghini.
Club Soft Drinks
Promotional pack for Club soft drinks with amusing illustrations of different kinds of ‘club’.
Mit Rhino auftrumpfen
Black rhinos on a publicity pack for Armstrong, a flooring company, with comic designs by Pit Flick....
Marmite
Fifty-Four images celebrating a UK savoury spread, that has been around one hundred and twenty two y...
Pinocchio playing cards
Comic book drawings inspired by Carlo Collodi’s children’s classic, Pinocchio.
Le Ore playing cards
Caricatures of famous personalities from the late 1970s for the Italian magazine Le Ore.
G&G Armament playing cards
G&G Armament Airsoft replica gun playing cards from Taiwan.
Carte Romantiche Italiane
Scenes of life and the theatre in Milan towards the second half of the 19th century.
Science Fiction
A deck of 55 cards, celebrating a time when Science Fiction truly was, Science Fiction.
Absolut Deck
Promotional deck published for Absolut Vodka in Sweden.
Lo Stampatore
‘Lo Stampatore’ linocut images created by Sergio Favret, published as a deck of cards by Editions So...
Kuzco, l’empereur mégalo
Notched cards featuring toys representing characters from the Disney film Kuzco, as offered by McDon...
The Beatles playing cards
Two packs featuring photos of The Beatles issued by the same publisher in 2004 and 2005.
Hilti I
Promotional pack for Hilti power tools, with courts in medieval costume and non-standard pips.
Leonardo collection
Leonardo collection playing cards with drawings from his notebooks.
Lo Cartescacco / Chess playing cards
Playing cards designed by F. Romagnoli bringing together Chess and Bridge, Italy, c. 1981.
Feh Schnapskarten
Colourful promotional pack for Feh household and toilet papers.
Hansaplast®
Advertising pack for Hansaplast, with comic courts sporting sticking plasters.
Lorilleux International
Promotional pack for Lorilleux International’s Lotus inks, with designs by James Hodges.
Les Tontons du Rock
Caricatures of rock and pop stars in black and white by Charles Da Costa.
B. Braun-Dexon®
Publicity pack promoting B. Braun-Dexon’s atraumatic needles, with non-standard courts and pips.
Classic Movie Posters
A deck of 55 cards presenting vintage classic movies and their stars.
54 Affiches Retro
54 different old French advertising posters, mainly for travel and health products.
Rock & Pop Legends
Stunning photos of a selection of US and UK music artists.
The Beatles • Yellow Submarine
A colourful deck celebrating the 1968 animated feature film based on the Lennon/McCartney song of th...
Star Trek II • The Wrath of Khan
This deck is a vibrant photographic tribute to "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan," one of the most be...
Il Vostro Destino
Italian fortune-telling pack produced by Viassone and later by Masenghini.
Loewe: Moda Europea Siglo XVII
Luxury pack for the Spanish fashion house Loewe, with 17th century costume designs by Margot Hamilto...
San Paolo Shakespeare
San Paolo Shakespeare, Italy, 1978
Le Carte di Forattini
Political caricatures by Giorgio Forattini published by Arnoldo Mondadori Editore, Italy, 1993.
San Paolo Chekhov
Characters from Chekhov’s plays designed by Paolo Fresu for San Paolo Istituto Bancario, Italy, c.19...
ČZ playing cards
Advertising pack for the Czechoslovak motorcycle factory Česká Zbrojovka.
Storia del Fascismo - gioco di carte
‘Storia del Fascismo’ playing cards depicting persons, symbols and artifacts associated with Italian...
Bischofszell
Advertising pack for the food producer Bischofszell, designed by Heinz Looser-Brenner, with non-stan...
Scheffmacher
Advertising pack for Scheffmacher, master painters in Schaffhausen, with comic designs by Fritz Bünz...
Hitchcock
A deck of 55 cards celebrating the master of mystery, murder and mayhem, Alfred Hitchcock.
The Lovers playing cards
Reproductions of old postcards with romantic messages for Valentine’s Day.
I Gatti Originali di Evelyne Nicod
Etchings of cats on a set of major arcana created by Evelyne Nicod.
Knoll International
Geometric designs by the French artist Jean Garçon for Knoll International, the furniture company.
Carte Osteologiche
Skulls and bones of all descriptions have become the suits and pips in this 40-card pack from Italy....