Mexican ethnic playing cards

Published January 26, 2025 Updated January 26, 2025

Mexican ethnic groups depicted on playing cards by Fábrica de Naipes Cuauhtemoc.

1920 Mexico Fábrica de Naipes Cuauhtemoc Amerindian Ethnic & Indigenous Fantasy

The court cards in this set of Mexican playing cards, produced in around 1920, are artistic representations of members from various ethnic communities, which are not named. They display items of dress such as embroidered tunics, ponchos, shawls, handwoven belts, feathered headdresses etc. The pack lacks an explanatory leaflet containing educational materials or explanations about the cultures.

Four Mexican ethnic groups playing cards by Fábrica de Naipes Cuauhtemoc, Mexico, c.1920 - Archivo General de la Nación de México Four Mexican ethnic groups playing cards by Fábrica de Naipes Cuauhtemoc, Mexico, c.1920 - Archivo General de la Nación de México

Above: Mexican ethnic playing cards by Fábrica de Naipes Cuauhtemoc, Mexico, c.1920. 40 cards, square corners, unknown designer, nothng is known about this manufacturer or whether the pack was ever published. Cards from the Archivo General de la Nación de México.

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By Alberto Pérez González

Member since December 21, 2016

I am a researcher and my primary interest lies in playing cards manufactured in Cádiz (not the 'Cádiz' type in general). I have authored several articles in the annual Asescoin magazine 'La Sota'. Among them are: “Madrid’s Playing Cards from the 17th to the 20th Century”; “New Contributions to the Study of Playing Cards in the Valencian Country”; “The Fouquets: 'Navarra pattern' in the Netherlands”; “Divided Playing Cards: Combining Ingenuity with Skill”; “Here Be Dragons: Speculations on the Evolution of the so-called 'Portuguese' Pattern”; “Playing Cards in Chile: News and Chronicles from the Viceroyalty Era”...

I have written and designed the book “Los Naipes de Cádiz” (296 pp). Additionally, I have contributed to the design, layout, and collaboration in Enrique García Martín’s book “Naipes, Arte y Fantasía” (444 pp).

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