Casablanca playing cards from Morocco
Moroccan cards with the legend 'Casablanca'.
Casablanca playing cards from Morocco
Above: cards manufactured anonymously with the legend 'Casablanca' on two of the cards. These are of the typical design, but with one or two minor departures from the norm. The tethered goat is plainly visible behind the Sota of coins.
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.
Leave a Reply
Recommended
Juego de Naipes Andalusí
Andalusian playing cards designed by Marifé Montoya Carrillo with booklet by Jorge Lirola Delgado, 2012.
Persian Miniatures
Persian Miniatures, made in Hungary c.1990.
Burj Al Arab Jumeirah
Gold plated souvenir playing cards from the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah hotel in Dubai.
Qajar Dynasty playing cards
Qajar Dynasty playing cards, Iran, 19th century.
Les Artisans Tunisiens
“Les Artisans Tunisiens” Jeu de Sept Familles published by Éditions de la Mediterranée, Alpha S.A., Tunis
Boutros Arabic Playing Cards
Arabic playing cards designed by Evy Maros & Mourad Boutros, c.1990
David Robert
“David Robert” playing cards with artwork after Robert's Sketches in Egypt and Nubia.
Hafez Fortune Telling Cards
Fortune Tellers use the Hafez Cards by interpreting the Hāfez poems printed on the card backs when cards are selected randomly by their consultants.
Patience Indien
Karl Gerich's “Patience Indien No.16”, published in 1991, is adapted from Grimaud's “Whist Indienne” (c.1900). The double-ended courts are dressed in Arab garb.
Iran
Representing Iranian culture and history and intended for a Persian market, these playing cards were designed by V. Romanowski de Boncza, ordered by the Iranian government playing card monopoly at the time and printed by Thomas De la Rue & Co., Ltd, c.1937.
Tunisia
Playing Cards in Tunisia. Chkobba is one of the most popular card games in Tunisia, mainly played by men in coffee shops but also played at home by men and women alike.
Anonymous
Anonymous Moroccan Playing Cards for Royal Air Maroc airlines and others...
Chaudsoleil Wine
Chaudsoleil Red Wine advertising playing cards from Morocco.
Moorish playing cards
These two uncoloured, uncut sheets of early Moorish playing cards were formerly preserved in the Instituto Municipal de Historia in Barcelona.
Mamluk Playing Cards
Nã'ib, the game of lieutenants... these cards are amongst the earliest Arabic playing cards extant.
The History of Playing Cards
Playing Cards have been around in Europe since the 1370s. Some early packs were hand painted works of art which were expensive and affordable only by the wealthy. But as demand increased cheaper methods of production were discovered so that playing cards became available for everyone...
A. Camoin & Cie, Casablanca & Marseille
Spanish national pattern by A. Camoin & Cie, Casablanca & Marseille
Casablanca playing cards from Morocco
Moroccan cards with the legend 'Casablanca'.
Moroccan Bank of Commerce and Industry
Advertising pack for the Moroccan Bank of Commerce and Industry, 1986
Cartes La Gazelle, Casablanca
Cartes La Gazelle, manufactured by Imprimerie de L’Entente, Casablanca
Playing cards in Morocco
The earliest literary references to playing cards in Europe refer to the game having been introduced by a 'Saracen', and also to Moorish and Damascene varieties of playing card.
Algeria
Spanish suited playing cards produced by B. P. Grimaud (Paris) for Algeria, around 1910.
A Moorish Sheet of Playing Cards
This article was originally published in “The Playing-Card”, the Journal of the International Playing-Card Society (London), Volume XV, No.4, May 1987.