San Playing Cards
Rock paintings and engravings of the San people, better known as the “Bushmen”.
San people are better known as the “Bushmen”. They led a nomadic existence in South Africa and Zimbabwe in prehistoric times. Elements of their art are captured on the double-ended court cards, while the pips in the centre of each Ace and numeral card have been replaced by silhouettes of animals (a different one for each suit). Coloured red and black only. The card backs feature a melange of human figures in red on white more →
See the box►
Further References
Wikipedia: San people►
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 Queen of Clubs
A limited edition art print of the Queen 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.
Paco Lobo
Highly original and striking designs by Paco Lobo for the fashion house of the same name.
Le jeu des 7 Familles ’Utuafare
Colourful Happy Families game from Tahiti depicting costumes from different archipelagoes.
Jeu Boléro
Sweeping, semi-abstract designs by J.L. Jolin in red and black only.
Knoll International
Geometric designs by the French artist Jean Garçon for Knoll International, the furniture company.
Marcello Morandini
Modern designs by Italian artist Marcello Morandini using the simplest of forms and colours.
Claude Weisbuch
Free reinterpretation of the traditional Paris pattern courts by the artist Claude Weisbuch.
Mohegan Sun playing cards
Mohegan Sun playing cards published by Gemaco for Mohegan Sun casino.
El Niño de las Pinturas
Forty-nine distinctive works by Spanish graffiti artist Raúl Ruiz.
Heathen Wars
German-suited ‘Heathen War’ playing cards published by Joseph Fetscher, Munich, c.1820.
Pendleton playing cards
Pendleton playing cards inspired by indigenous American artwork, USA, 2019.
Old School Playing cards from Moon
Designed and published by Leo Scherfig
Malam playing cards
Malam playing cards created by Michael Muldoon, USA, 2015.
Costumes des Peuples Étrangers
Costumes des Peuples Étrangers & Jeu d’Or dedicated to young people and likely used for games and fo...
Tarot of the Thousand and One Nights (1001 Nights Tarot)
This tarot deck captures the idealised Eastern world's magic from the eighteenth and nineteenth cent...
Race Card
‘Race Card’ playing cards published by the Concept Card Co., New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
ORIENT The Queen of Cards
A unique Art creation of Subho Tagore
Newtropolis and the Fantastic Fur
Newtropolis and the Fantastic Fur: Heroes vs. Villains playing cards illustrated by Peter Wood, 2015...
Hawaiian playing cards
Hawaiian playing cards in the style of classic Hawaiian wood carvings, USA, 2015.
South American Costumes
Costumes of people of Brazil, Peru and Mexico, with views of Rio de Janeiro on the aces.
Baraja Española de Pintores Murcianos
A Spanish-suited pack as conceived by 48 different artists from the region of Murcia.
Le Jeu d’Issy
Bold designs by Jacques Auriac representing people and enterprises for which the town of Issy-les-Mo...
Bilder zum Tarot
Detailed pen and ink drawings of the major arcana by the German artist Helmut Wonschick.
Le Jeu de la Chance
Original designs by French artist Jean Vérame, with clubs replaced by four-leaf clovers to bring goo...
Secretos de Oriente
Secrets of the Far East playing cards featuring the designs of Violeta Monreal , Spain, c. 1991.
Ases de la pintura / Masters of painting
Ases de la pintura / Masters of painting playing cards made by Naipes Comas, Spain, c.1990.
Seven Seas Maori Playing Cards
A Gift from New Zealand
Museum of Modern Art
Museum of Modern Art playing cards designed by Takenobu Igarashi.
Festa Major de Vilafranca 1988
Colourful figures associated with the annual festival held in Vilafranca, Catalonia.
African art playing cards
African art and symbolism on playing cards designed by John J. Beckvermit III, USA, 1994.
Pacific Northwest native Indian masks
Pacific Northwest native Indian masks with artwork by Margaret Parrott, USA, 1992.
Ethiopian playing cards
A pack with court cards reflecting different ethnic and cultural groups found in Ethiopia.
Crystal Time
Colourful and attractive designs by Violeta Monreal, inspired by stained glass through the ages.
Jeu de Cartes de Tahiti
Courts and Aces inspired by Polynesian history and culture designed by Michèle Feltrin.
Lidia Schöffer art-deco playing cards
A prize winning design from The Netherlands
Chinese Opera Masks Playing Cards 脸谱
Three different packs of cards featuring traditional Chinese face painting and Chinese opera masks.
Oude Kunst (Old Art) playing cards with Wüst courts
made for export to the Netherlands.
Nipponia Playing Cards
Nipponia Playing Cards are a Japanese-themed playing cards featuring samurai, kunoichi and oiran. De...
Maori playing cards
Maori playing cards from New Zealand.
South Africa Souvenir
Photographic views of South Africa and Rhodesia.
The Times of Kamehameha The Great
Figures from Hawaiian history and scenes of everyday life designed by Joseph Feher.