Ganjifa™
A colourful pack of round cards with Ganjifa designs by Asha Industries, Mumbai, India, 2002.
Colourful round cards with Ganjifa-type designs (but French suits), made by Asha Industries, Mumbai, India, 2002. The Ks and Qs are seated figures in Indian costume, the Js a rider on a white horse. The same four designs are used in each suit. All four Aces show an elephant with two men aboard, one in a howdah and one being a mahout, with the maker’s name added to the Ace of Spades. Different background colour for each suit. Likewise, a different background colour is used for each of the three Jokers. The date 2002 appears on all the court cards, Aces and Jokers. Floral patterned backs. On the outer box the name GANJIFA is followed by a trademark symbol (odd that such a generic word should carry a trademark). See the box►
Above: Ganjifa-type cards with French suits by Asha Industries, Mumbai, India, 2002. 52 cards + 3 Jokers in a clear circular box inside a square tuck box.
Addendum: Ganjifa Oval Shape by Asha Industries
The same designs exist (one could say squashed) on oval cards. The colours are the same as on the circular pack. The back design, however, is different. See the box►
Above: Ganjifa Oval Shape by Asha Industries, 2002. 52 cards + 3 Jokers in tuck box. Size: 58 x 90 mm.
By Roddy Somerville
France • Member since May 31, 2022 • Contact
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
Discóbolo
Round cards from Brazil aiming to establish a link between astrology and playing cards.
Ubo cards
Traditional Ubo cards from the Philippines made from tree bark.
Ganjifa - Playing Cards from India
Indian playing cards, known as Ganjifa, feature intricate designs with twelve suits and are traditio...
Asha Industries’ Castilian pattern
Colourful Spanish (Castilian) pattern cards made by Asha Industries in India for Mexico.
Le jeu des 7 Familles ’Utuafare
Colourful Happy Families game from Tahiti depicting costumes from different archipelagoes.
Handmade Ganjifa Birds Playing Cards
This set of Ganjifa cards is a beautiful example of traditional cards from India.
Easter Playing Cards
Egg-shaped cards with rabbit designs in soft, pastel colours for Easter.
Ethiopian playing cards
A pack with court cards reflecting different ethnic and cultural groups found in Ethiopia.
Jeu de Cartes de Tahiti
Courts and Aces inspired by Polynesian history and culture designed by Michèle Feltrin.
The Times of Kamehameha The Great
Figures from Hawaiian history and scenes of everyday life designed by Joseph Feher.
Popular Fine Art Litho Works
A standard English pack and one adapted for magic tricks by Popular Fine Art Litho Works Ltd., Bomba...
Inka Naipe Souvenir
54 colour photographs of costumes and artefacts connected with the Inca civilisation, unknown publis...
Waddington’s “Silkette” Playing Cards
Cards made by John Waddington Ltd. for the Madras Club, Chennai (formerly Madras), India, c.1930.
San Playing Cards
Rock paintings and engravings of the San people, better known as the “Bushmen”.
Happy Playing Cards
Cheerful, colourful designs on handmade paper from Nepal.
Estonian Ethnographic Playing Cards
Estonian national costumes and everyday items feature on this pack made in Estonia.
Playing Cards from Mauritius
Pack designed for La Maison de L’Artisanat Ltée, Mauritius, by Hervé de Cotter.
Handmade playing cards
Non-standard designs on Nepalese handmade paper for Pilgrims Book House, Kathmandu, Nepal, c.2000.
Indian Ganjifa Playing Cards
‘Ganjifa’ playing cards made in Sheopor in the North of Madhya Pradesh province in Central India. Th...
Dasavatara Ganjifa from India
Chromo-lithograph Ganjifa cards by the Chitrasala Press, around 1950. Ten suits of twelve cards, eac...
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 60 days
