Dutch costume playing cards from an unknown maker

Published June 12, 2022 Updated June 12, 2022

Another pack of Dutch costume playing cards c.1880.

1880 Belgium Netherlands Fashion & Costume History Royalty

This pack of Dutch costume playing cards can be dated to about 1880, although there is very little known about this pack. It is similar in style to other known Dutch costume cards made in the second half of the nineteenth century (see here a pack made by Van Genechten) but this pack is printed in bright colours with the colours differing on each end of the courts. The court cards also show backgrounds of landscapes and building, something not found in other packs of this type.
The kings depict named important historical members of Dutch royalty while the queens and jacks show figures in regional costumes from various parts of The Netherlands. The aces depict views of different Dutch cities. The back of the cards is a bright duck egg blue colour. It has been suggested that this pack may have been printed by Daveluy of Bruges, Belgium ( you can see an example here) because of its colourful style and use of white card but this has not been verified, and Daveluy cards usually show the makers name. I have never seen a box or wrapper for this pack.


Below: The back of the cards.

All cards shown are from the collection of Paul Symons ©.


avatar
71 Articles

By Paul Symons

Member since February 01, 2016

I'm British but I have now lived in the Netherlands for more than 50 years and am still enjoying every minute of it. I started collecting playing cards in the early 1980’s after speaking with my neighbour who was at that time a croupier in a casino. I started with just collecting jokers, but that soon led me to complete packs of cards and eventually to specialising in old and antique playing cards, particularly those of C.L. Wüst of Frankfurt, Germany. I am presently the Dutch representative of the I.P.C.S. and the auctioneer at the IPCS conventions.

Related Articles

1970 Angel 52 Secrets

Angel 52 Secrets

Vintage “52 Secret” art deco-inspired playing cards from Japan.

2024 Polish Kings and Queens – red deck

Polish Kings and Queens – red deck

Polish kings and queens plus the court jester, illustrated in a distinctive style inspired by histor...

1794 French Revolutionary cards by Pinaut

French Revolutionary cards by Pinaut

Seven cards from a French Revolutionary pack by Pinaut featuring characters from classical antiquity...

1873 An Anonymous Belgian Transformation Pack

An Anonymous Belgian Transformation Pack

Anonymous Belgian transformation pack borrowing many images from earlier designs by Braun & Schneide...

2022 Jim Lyngvild playing cards

Jim Lyngvild playing cards

Photographs of Danish royalty as imagined by fashion designer Jim Lyngvild.

1983 Barok

Barok

Dutch pack from the 1950s with colourful Baroque courts, reprinted in 1983.

1863 Victorian grocer’s scale plate

Victorian grocer’s scale plate

Large flat plate decorated with highly coloured English cards and royal arms.

2007 Verkeers Kwartet

Verkeers Kwartet

A helpful quartet game celebrating the 75th anniversary of road safety exams making traffic safer.

1985 Blake et Mortimer – La Marque Jaune

Blake et Mortimer – La Marque Jaune

Blake and Mortimer comic strip characters created by Edgar P. Jacobs.

2018 Santo Mexico playing cards

Santo Mexico playing cards

Santo Mexico playing cards designed by Cédric Volon with Mexico-associated symbols.

2016 Gallia Belgica playing cards

Gallia Belgica playing cards

Gallia Belgica playing cards by Cédric Volon presenting a view of Belgian culture and folklore.

1850 Historical Characters

Historical Characters

Double-ended deck with historical characters and jacks as jesters by Daveluy, c.1850.

1873 Mademoiselle Lenormand

Mademoiselle Lenormand

XIX century ‘Mlle Lenormand’ cartomancy deck by Daveluy, Bruges.

Rouen Pattern  - Portrait Rouennais

Rouen Pattern - Portrait Rouennais

An attractive XV century French-suited design from Rouen became the standard English & Anglo-America...

2006 Royal Britain

Royal Britain

Pack devised by Pietro Alligo depicting English monarchs from Alfred the Great to Elizabeth II.

1992 Het Olympisch kaart- en kwartetspel

Het Olympisch kaart- en kwartetspel

Dual-purpose set featuring photos of sporting figures from the Netherlands on every card.