Ergomia

Ergomia is a complete re-design of a traditional pack into a “Nouvelle Forme” that the publishers considered to be an ergonomically efficient shape, namely like an inverted comma. The idea was that they should be easy to hold, easy to spread and easy to shuffle, as shown on the back of the box. However, they do not appear to have been particularly popular among card players. This may be a cautionary warning regarding the pitfalls of trying to re-design the playing card. The same three court card designs are used for each suit. The company’s website address appears on the four Aces but is defunct. French indices R, D, V, 1 (four times on each card). See the box►

Above: "Ergomia" playing cards published by Système Création Pratique, Décines-Charpieu, 2000, and registered as a trademark in 2003. 52 cards + 2 Jokers + 1 (double-sided) title card/bridge score card in a tuck box. The box is the same size as for a standard pack of Bridge cards. Printed by Carta Mundi.

A Tarot pack was also issued with instructions in French, in the same shape but larger, and also an English edition with different court card designs and indices (see below).

Note on Ergomia

I recently acquired an Ergomia Tarot pack which seems to differ from the one in the publicity shot in that the atouts have white rather than yellow borders. The court cards and the illustrations on the atouts are all adapted from those found on a standard French Tarot pack. On the back there is publicity for Legris Industries, a major sponsor of the 2003 America’s Cup. It is helpful that it carries this date. It shows too that even cards of such an unusual shape were issued with advertising backs.

Above: Ergomia Tarot, 2003.