Karlis Padegs
Karlis Padegs (1911-1940) was a Latvian artist who designed 17 playing cards in 1936 - joker, aces, kings, queens and jacks.
Karlis Padegs, Riga (Latvia)
Karlis Padegs was a Latvian artist who designed 17 playing cards in 1936 - joker, aces, kings, queens and jacks. Apart from a one-man exhibition in Riga in March 1936 where he showed his playing cards, Padegs was seldom mentioned and the public showing of his work was practically prohibited due to the Soviet occupation. Over 60 years later, the drawings were made into a pack of cards (1997) with extra artwork taken from Padegs’ other works to complete the deck (back, box, etc).
Above: cards from the first edition of a pack designed by Karlis Padegs (1911-1940).
There were two editions, each of 1000 decks. The first edition has an incorrect index letter ‘G’ for ‘King’, which was corrected in the second edition. The more expensive second edition (1999) was a double set intended for Bridge players.
By Simon Wintle
Spain • Member since February 01, 1996
I am the founder of The World of Playing Cards (est. 1996), a website dedicated to the history, artistry and cultural significance of playing cards and tarot. Over the years I have researched various areas of the subject, acquired and traded collections and contributed as a committee member of the IPCS and graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal. Having lived in Chile, England, Wales, and now Spain, these experiences have shaped my work and passion for playing cards. Amongst my achievements is producing a limited-edition replica of a 17th-century English pack using woodblocks and stencils—a labour of love. Today, the World of Playing Cards is a global collaborative project, with my son Adam serving as the technical driving force behind its development. His innovative efforts have helped shape the site into the thriving hub it is today. You are warmly invited to become a contributor and share your enthusiasm.
Activity for Karlis Padegs
Sign in to comment or save this article.
Related Articles
Calligraphy Card Game
Military figures executed in calligraphic flourishes by Johann Christoph Albrecht.
Hallmark
A folksy take on playing card courts.
Schweizer Trachten
Schweizer Trachten No.174 (Costumes Suisses) by Dondorf.
Ken McCarthy
An unknown deck by Ken McCarthy, c.2018.
Translucent Playing Cards
Translucent Playing Cards made by an unknown maker, c.1850
51: Some modern variations
A brief survey of some current variations in the standard English pattern.
Modern Aces of Spades
Many modern aces of spades are anonymous so that, in the absence of any other information, the colle...
Monsters
A collective of artists known as Monster Illustration produced a deck entitled “Monsters” in 2004.
Carl Arnold Transformation
Transformation playing cards designed by Carl Johann Arnold (1829-1916), the court artist for King F...
Anonymous Dutch deck, 1940s
Anonymous Dutch deck, 1940s
Transformation of Playing Cards
The best-known fantasy playing cards are Transformation cards, in which figurative scenes are drawn ...
19: 19th Century Breaks with Tradition - Unusual versions of the Standard English Pattern
The centuries-long tradition of English court cards was subject to misinterpretation and in some cas...
Vaivorykste (The Rainbow)
Vaivorykštė ('the Rainbow') playing cards manufactured in Lithuania by Spindulys, 1930s. The deck ha...
Karlis Krauze
Latvian Patience Cards designed by Karlis Krauze, mid 1930s
Alfreds Scwedrevitz
This pack was issued during wartime, in 1936, under the name “Latvian Red Cross Cards No.7”.
Regarding the designs of playing cards
The quality of playing card designs often deteriorates with time…
Balázs Pál Nagy's Tell No. 3306 Playing Cards
Balázs Pál Nagy Tell 3306
Balázs Pál Nagy's Playing Cards
Balázs Pál Nagy's Playing Cards
The History of Playing Cards
Playing cards appear in European records in the late 14th century, but their earlier history lies fu...
Queen of Hearts
“Queen of Hearts” by Josie Callipari, winner of the Brian Tucker Accounting Desert Fantasia Award 20...
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 60 days
Athena McCarty
04 March 2026, 06:48SavedSaved this article to Nice Cards