The World of Playing Cards Logo

Reo Rex Luxus bild

Published August 24, 2022 Updated August 28, 2022

Celluloid playing cards made in Vienna

1929 Austria Germany Reo Rex Celluloid

Several factories manufacturing celluloid playing cards were active in the years between WW1 and WW2. One of these was the firm Reo Rex Spielkarten GmbH based in Vienna, Austria who produced this striking Luxury Rommé deck in what I can only describe as a modernised Rococo design. The cards were printed by the Kartographischen (früher Militärgeographischen) Institut in Wien VII. They also had cards printed in Nurenberg, Germany. The company moved in 1929 to Mannheim-Waldorf in Germany. Reo Rex also produced celluloid English pattern, Berliner pattern and various German suited playing cards. They were acclaimed as long lasting hygienic and easy to clean, but they were also extremely flammable ! Production ceased sometime in the mid 1930's.

This pack dates from 1929 and has 52 cards, a joker and an extra card with the factory name and a calendar of 1929 on the reverse. The backs have a design in silver and black.

Below: the extra card


Reference: Spielkartenhersteller in Deutschland zwischen den Weltkriegen, Jürgen Platz, 2021 (Studien zur Spielkarten Nr.47)

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.


Leave a Reply

Default Avatar
Your Name
Just now

Create account to comment Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here.


Related Articles

1973 Karl Korab

Karl Korab

Austrian artist Karl Korab’s first pack, displaying his use of different techniques.

1862 Johann Nejedly Tarok Cards

Johann Nejedly Tarok Cards

Johann Nejedly, a 19th-century Viennese card maker, produced Tarock cards featuring modern scenes th...

2000 Austria Ski Team playing cards

Austria Ski Team playing cards

Photos of members of the Austrian skiing team replace the normal courts on two different packs.

2010 Grunwald 1410 – The Battle of Tannenberg

Grunwald 1410 – The Battle of Tannenberg

Details from the famous painting of the Battle of Grunwald (1410) by the Polish painter Jan Matejko....

1996 Unimog UX 100

Unimog UX 100

Cartoons promoting the Unimog UX 100, a small truck produced by Mercedes-Benz.

1989 Juristenskat

Juristenskat

Caricatures of lawyers and judges by Philipp Heinisch for HEEL Verlag.

Battles in Mexico, 1847

Battles in Mexico, 1847

Uncut proof sheet with Mexican Battle scenes on the aces and portraits of American generals on the c...

1973 Colonial Art

Colonial Art

A collection of 53 pieces of art showcasing detailed scenes from early American colonial life.

1854 Joseph Sürch, Engraver

Joseph Sürch, Engraver

Joseph Sürch, a prominent Viennese engraver, made significant contributions to card sheet engraving ...

1880 Double-ended German-suited pack by Josef Glanz, Vienna.

Double-ended German-suited pack by Josef Glanz, Vienna.

From the British Museum collection.

2024 Piatnik’s 200<sup>th</sup> Anniversary

Piatnik’s 200th Anniversary

A special philatelic souvenir for Piatnik’s 200th anniversary, combining playing cards an...

1880 Trappola pack by Joseph Glanz

Trappola pack by Joseph Glanz

Double-ended Trappola pack by Joseph Glanz, Vienna, late 19th century.

Art pack II, Austria

Art pack II, Austria

Renaissance portraits by Albrecht Dürer, Lucas Cranach, Hans Holbein, Barthel Beham, Christoph Amber...

1994 Medizin Skat

Medizin Skat

Promotional pack for a hospital group in the Saarland, with non-standard suits and courts designed b...

Sissi playing cards

Sissi playing cards

produced for the Austrian tourist market.

1984 Opernkarte I

Opernkarte I

Humorous designs by Peter Becker on the theme of the Opera.