Fake ‘Four Seasons’ pattern
More than just a copy, this is a fake!
According to Piatnik, this pack is most definitely a pirated version of the Hungarian Four Seasons pattern. There are so many things wrong with this pack that it is unfair even to link Piatnik’s name with it. At first sight, the box looks genuine but rather small for a Four Seasons pack and too glossy to be from Piatnik. On opening the box one finds that the cards have a completely different back design (and colour) from the one printed on the reverse of the box. The quality of the printing is extremely poor, with poor registration of the gaudy colours. Some of the colours are strange, particularly the bluish purple employed on certain cards. All the human faces are white, with very limited facial features. The Piatnik logo which would normally appear on the 7 of Bells is absent. On the box it states that there are 33 cards, whereas there are in fact only 32 – the extra card which Piatnik often includes is again missing. All in all, not a proper facsimile, but what people in the UK would call “a bugger’s muddle”!
So where was this pack actually made? China? Probably not, since even the Chinese make better packs than this. More likely a small local printer trying to profit from the good name and reputation of Piatnik.
Tax Evation and Counterfeit Goods
Many London shops are under investigation by Westminster city council for tax evasion and selling counterfeit goods. Read more by Adam Hug in The Guardian: Where did all those US sweet shops in London come from? The problem is, we don’t know►
By Roddy Somerville
Member since May 31, 2022
Roddy started collecting stamps on his 8th birthday. In 1977 he joined the newly formed playing-card department at Stanley Gibbons in London before setting up his own business in Edinburgh four years later. His collecting interests include playing cards, postcards, stamps (especially playing cards on stamps) and sugar wrappers. He is a Past President of the Scottish Philatelic Society, a former Chairman of the IPCS, a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards and Curator of the WCMPC’s collection of playing cards. He lives near Toulouse in France.
Related Articles
Woodblock and Stencil Jack of Clubs
A limited edition art print of the Jack of Clubs 1984 woodblock joker.
Woodblock and Stencil Jack of Hearts
A limited edition art print of the Jack of Hearts 1984 woodblock joker.
Woodblock and Stencil Joker
A limited edition art print of the 1984 woodblock joker.
Woodblock and Stencil King of Diamonds
A limited edition art print of the King of Diamonds 1984 woodblock joker.
Le Roi bridge
Reprint of a Piatnik (Budapest) pack of 1927 with Hungarian historical figures and scenic aces.
Jeu Bonaparte
Jeu Bonaparte depicting the extended family of Napoleon Bonaparte, France, 1978
Jeu des Bonnets Phrygiens
Reproduction of Jeu des Bonnets Phrygiens relating to the Phrygian cap (or liberty cap), France, 198...
The Lovers playing cards
Reproductions of old postcards with romantic messages for Valentine’s Day.
Portrait de Fribourg
Fine reproduction of a Fribourg pattern pack, originally by Jean-Jacques Burdel.
FDR New Deal Deck
Facsimile of ‘FDR New Deal Deck’ of 1934 re-published by Bill Schroeder, USA, 2010.
Winstanley Geographical cards
Facsimile of Winstanley’s Geographical cards produced by Harold & Virginia Wayland, 1967.
Meal Tub Plot
Meal Tub Plot playing cards [facsimile] with 17th century sketches by Francis Barlow.
Eclipse Comic playing cards (reproduction)
Eclipse Comic playing cards is a reproduction of the first transformation pack printed in the USA in...
Moorish Deck
Review of “Trzes’ Moorish Deck” facsimile published by Ulrich Kaltenborn, Berlin, 2023.
Cards on Cards (E.H. Locker)
Artist Edward Locker’s view of London life in 1799, using every card in the pack as part of the pict...
Baraja Napoleónica
Re-edition of a French-suited Spanish pack from the Napoleonic era, with designs by J. Carrafa.
Jeanne l’Hachette
Jeanne l’Hachette reprint of 19th century transformation deck, Denmark, 1976.
Naipes Heraclio Fournier 130th Anniversary
Baraja conmemorativa del 130 aniversario de naipes Heraclio Fournier (1868-1998) Spain, 1998.
New Orleans and Gulf souvenir
New Orleans and Gulf souvenir playing cards from c1900 reprinted for the 52 Plus Joker Convention in...
Calliope: a Renaissance band
Facsimile of cards attributed to Hans Schäufelein (c. 1480-1540) produced by ‘Calliope’, a New York ...
La-Tee-Da transformation playing cards
Facsimile edition of ‘La-Tee-Da’ transformation playing cards, originally made in 1865 by Dean & Son...
Antoine Dieudonné c.1850
Reproduction of a pack by Antoine Dieudonné, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg, c1850.
Carte Méthodique
Reproduction of a French pack by François Silvestre intended to teach heraldry, produced in Paris in...
Spielkarten in Bromsilber-Photographie
“Spielkarten in Bromsilber-Photographie” facsimile edition by Vito Arienti of Edizioni del Solleone,...
Baraja El Quijote
Baraja El Quijote, facsimile of original deck designed by E. Pastor, reprinted by Naipes Heraclio Fo...
Histoire de France
“Histoire de France” facsimile of French historical deck of 1820.
Grover Cleveland Presidential Campaign of 1888
Grover Cleveland Presidential Campaign playing cards of 1888, USA, [reprint 1980].
Ye Witches’ Fortune Cards
Review of the 2019 edition Ye Witches Fortune Cards No 62
Fake ‘Four Seasons’ pattern
More than just a copy, this is a fake!
A. Dougherty’s Triplicate Recreation
A recreated of the original 1876, No. 18, Triplicate deck by A. Dougherty by Michael Scott in 2014. ...
La Sibylle des Salons
La Sibylle des Salons facsimile of 19th century deck published by J M Simon, 1979.
William Tell
Facsimile of Swiss William Tell deck from c.1870 published by Lo Scarabeo.
“Deck with French suits”
A facsimile of an early 19th century French-suited deck from the collection of F.X. Schmid.
Le Destin Antique
Le Jeu du Destin Antique, originally published by Grimaud in XIX c., republished many times since......
Jeu Mythologique
“Jeu Mythologique” facsimile 18th century pack by J M Simon, 1983.
Caleb Bartlett
Caleb Bartlett patriotic deck (reproduction), around 1835-40.
Heraldic playing cards
Reproduction of Richard Blome’s Heraldic playing cards, 1684, presented to lady guests at WCMPC Summ...
Tell Wilmoś
Facsimile of ‘Wilhelm Tell’ Hungarian deck by Salamon Antal, Keczkemét, 1860.
Le Jeu de la Guerre
Facsimile of “Le Jeu de la Guerre” designed by Gilles de la Boissière in 1698.
On The Cards
A Motley Pack - transformation playing cards & ‘On The Cards’ book facsimile published by Sunish Cha...
Tyrolean Playing Cards
Facsimile of patriotic 1878 Tyrolean playing cards published by Piatnik in 1992.
Musikalisches Kartenspiel
Facsimile of Dondorf’s “Musikalisches Kartenspiel” (c.1862) published by Lo Scarabeo, 2004
Johannes Müller c.1840
Facsimile edition of Swiss suited deck first published by Johannes Müller in c.1840.