Fantasy back designs for Canasta were produced in pairs with many themes, including: Alfareros, Arlequines, Continental, Cuban, Charros, Dalia, Dancers, Hawaii, Lanterns, Mexican watercolours, Flamenco, Cockerels, Parisian, Quetzal, Rococo, Roses, Social, Taurino, Tehuantapec, Tropical, Tehuanos, Xochimilco and Viejitos. These were often commissioned from local artists and new designs were added each year.
By Simon Wintle
Member since February 01, 1996
View ArticlesCurator and editor of the World of Playing Cards since 1996. He is a former committee member of the IPCS and was graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal for many years. He has lived at various times in Chile, England and Wales and is currently living in Extremadura, Spain. Simon's first limited edition pack of playing cards was a replica of a seventeenth century traditional English pack, which he produced from woodblocks and stencils.
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Two colourful Mexican packs by an anonymous manufacturer titled “As Vencedores” on the ace of coins, designed in the Mexican style, based on the Spanish ‘Castilian’ pattern.
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