Vittoriosa Church Museum
Antique playing cards in Vittoriosa Church Museum dating back to the Knights of Malta period.
These photos of rare archaic playing cards and a wooden block for printing of same cards date back to the Knights of Malta period. These are exhibited at the museum at Vittoriosa Malta in the church of St. Joseph. The Vittoriosa Church Museum describes them as "Unique set of playing cards dating to 1609 with images from the chivalric Order. These are accompanied with some of the related printing blocks" (See the museum leaflet).
The cards are housed inside a glass showcase and obtaining clear photos was not easy. Photography by Vincent Ellul.
Above: Antique playing cards in Vittoriosa Church Museum, Malta, dating to 1609. Photography by Vincent Ellul.
NOTE: the cabinet, in which these very rare playing cards dating to the Knights of Malta are displayed, was commissioned and paid for by Joseph Schiro, so that they may be enjoyed by visitors and at the same time be preserved in a professional environmental display cabinet. Joseph Schiro is a paper conservator and President of the Malta Map Society.
Trending Articles
Popular articles from the past 28 days
Related Articles
Woodblock and Stencil Jack of Hearts
A limited edition art print of the Jack of Hearts 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.
Woodblock and Stencil Queen of Clubs
A limited edition art print of the Queen of Clubs 1984 woodblock joker.
Burgundy pattern
The old Burgundy (or Burgundian) pattern by Nicolas Chenevet, Dijon.
Trappola pack by Joseph Fetscher
Trappola pack published by Joseph Fetscher, Graz, 1739.
Lyon pattern by Michel Ressy
Lyon pattern by Michel Ressy, c.1760.
Trappola pack by Anton Herrl
Trappola pack of 36 double-ended cards published by Anton Herrl, Graz, Austria.
Moorish Deck
Review of “Trzes’ Moorish Deck” facsimile published by Ulrich Kaltenborn, Berlin, 2023.
Early German playing cards
Some early examples of popular German playing cards from the XV and XVI centuries.
Auvergne Pattern
The Auvergne pattern is one of the oldest in France.
Infirrera
Italo-Portuguese-suited cards by Andrea Infirrera with the arms of Malta, 1693.
Portuguese cards for Brazil
Portuguese-type cards made in or for Brazil, c.1890.
Vittoriosa Church Museum
Antique playing cards in Vittoriosa Church Museum dating back to the Knights of Malta period.
XV Century Spanish-suited playing cards
XV Century Spanish-suited playing cards with moorish influences
Pierre Roiné Aluette
Archaic form of Aluette published by Pierre Roiné, Nantes, c.1785.
Airummy
Souvenir pack made for the Malta Tourism Authority, Malta, c.2000.
Cartas Portuguezas
Portuguese pattern playing cards published in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, late 19th century.
Portuguese-suited cards
Portuguese-suited cards with dragon aces, made in Italy, 1613.
Antoine de Logiriera
Archaic Spanish-suited playing cards published in Toulouse by Antoine de Logiriera (1495-1518).
J. Deluy c.1490s
Archaic Spanish-suited cards produced by J. Deluy c.1490s.
Toledo, 1584
Archaic Spanish-suited deck with 48 cards made in Toledo in 1584.
62: French regional patterns: the queens and jacks
Continuing our look at the figures from the regional patterns of France.
61: French regional patterns: the kings
On page 11 I illustrated several examples of the regional French patterns from Sylvia Mann's collect...
Navarra Pattern, 1682
Navarra pattern produced for the Pamplona General Hospital Monopoly in 1682.
Navarra Pattern
Navarra Pattern produced for the Pamplona General Hospital Monopoly.
Anonymous Spanish Suited pack, c.1760
Anonymous archaic Spanish suited pack, c.1760.
Georg Kapfler
Antique deck of old Bohemian playing cards of the German type manufactured by Georg Kapfler and date...
Master of the Playing Cards
Animal suited playing cards engraved by the Master of the Playing Cards, Germany, c.1455
Naipes ‘La Criolla’ by Anabella Corsi
Inspired by an archaic Spanish pattern formerly used in Spain during the 16th and 17th centuries.
Air Malta
‘Air Rummy’ playing cards published by Air Malta, late 1990s.
Hewson
Antique English woodblock playing cards by a card maker named C. Hewson, mid-17th century.
Portuguese pattern
19th century Portuguese pattern, re-printed from original woodblocks.
XV Century Catalan playing cards
XV Century Catalan Playing Cards, featuring four female Sotas, four Aces and four cards from the sui...
The Combination of Images and Text on early playing cards
When playing cards have titles or legends these reference a written/literary tradition of some form....
Provence Pattern
The 'Provence' pattern contains figures which go back to the fifteenth century.
Malta
The so-called ‘Dragon Cards’, with winged monsters on the four Aces, are an enigmatic aspect of earl...
27: Cards at Strangers’ Hall, Norwich
There is a very interesting collection of playing cards held at the Strangers' Hall Museum in Norwic...
Master of the Banderoles
Playing Cards by the Master of the Banderoles, one of the earliest professional printmakers, c.1470....
Joan Barbot
Joan Barbot, San Sebastian c.1765-1810.
Dauphiné Pattern
The Dauphiné pattern is an archaic French pattern which was manufactured in the Lyons region from th...
Moorish playing cards
These two uncoloured, uncut sheets of early Moorish playing cards were formerly preserved in the Ins...
Gothic Spanish-suited cards
These cards may be a typical example of early 'standard' Spanish playing cards, maybe from before Co...