Reinholds Kasparsons
Reinholds Kasparsons, a popular Latvian illustrator of the day, designed this pack which was published as The Best Quality Playing cards No.1 in 1932.
Latvian playing cards designed by Reinholds Kasparsons
Above: the tax stamp from the Ace of Hearts.
Above: Reinholds Kasparsons, a popular Latvian illustrator of the day, designed this pack which was published as ‘The Best Quality Playing cards No.1’ in 1932. This was the 3rd pack produced in Latvia. The pack was re-issued during the period of the 1st Russian occupation in 1940/41, with the inscription on the Ace of Hearts replaced by “LPSR” (Latvian Soviet Socialistic Republic).
Left: in the alternative Ace of Hearts, during the period of the 1st Russian occupation in 1940/41, several elements are different: unadorned red cross, different green "wreath", "LPSR", and the tax stamp (different lettering round the red cross) - courtesy Roddy Somerville.
By Simon Wintle
Member since February 01, 1996
View ArticlesCurator and editor of the World of Playing Cards since 1996. He is a former committee member of the IPCS and was graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal for many years. He has lived at various times in Chile, England and Wales and is currently living in Extremadura, Spain. Simon's first limited edition pack of playing cards was a replica of a seventeenth century traditional English pack, which he produced from woodblocks and stencils.
Leave a Reply
Recommended
Wink Playing Cards
A pack of 53 temporary tattoo designs published by Wink, Riga, Latvia, c.2017.
Four Races
“Four Races” playing cards designed by Latvian artist Vilnis Rasa in 1989.
Latvia Art
Playing cards designed by artist Larisa Kovalass-Kovalevska on the theme of the Latvian folk epic “Lāčplēsis”.
Zole
Alfreds Scwedrevitz playing card designs used to advertise Zole Vodka but which were never published.
Orija Nr.20
Reprint of “Lettische Trachten” deck first published in Latvia in 1918.
Privātā
The editors of “Privātā Dzīve” magazine conceived the idea for this new pack, which was designed by artist Lidmila Bulikina and printed by LGL Stils, Ltd in June 2001.
Karlis Krauze
Latvian Patience Cards designed by Karlis Krauze, mid 1930s
Black Peter, c.1940
Black Peter card deck for children printed in Riga during World War II, believed to have been designed by a Latvian artist.
Alfreds Scwedrevitz
This pack was issued during wartime, in 1936, under the name “Latvian Red Cross Cards No.7”.
Latvian Playing Cards
The best Latvian playing cards were produced just after independence, during the period 1921-1942.
Karlis Padegs
Karlis Padegs (1911-1940) was a Latvian artist who designed 17 playing cards in 1936 - joker, aces, kings, queens and jacks.
Rihards Zarinš
Playing cards designed by Rihards Zarinš, 1921. Latvian indices and with heraldic and hunting motifs reminiscent of the countries' ancient history and folklore.
Stefans Bercs
In 1923 a competition was announced for a new Latvian pack. The winner of this competition was Stefans Bercs.
Reinholds Kasparsons
Reinholds Kasparsons, a popular Latvian illustrator of the day, designed this pack which was published as The Best Quality Playing cards No.1 in 1932.