Barok
Dutch pack from the 1950s with colourful Baroque courts, reprinted in 1983.
According to the extra card with this pack, the original version of the pack was printed in 1954-5, having been ordered by J. Buzaglo, an agent of Van Genechten in Amsterdam. The designs were created by an unknown Dutch artist and the original lithographs were made by Van Tijn + Zack, Amsterdam. The pack is printed in 8 colours offset. The name of the pack, Barok, indicates the style of the unnamed, double-ended courts, each set against a backdrop of expensive-looking drapery. The aces are similarly decorated.
Above: “Barok”, originally printed by Van Genechten, Turnhout, Belgium, 1954-5. Reprinted by Carta Mundi, Turnhout, Belgium, 1983. 52 cards + 2 (identical) Jokers + 1 extra card with text in Dutch and English. Size: 58 x 88 mm.
This reprint was issued in 1983 in a numbered edition of 500 packs on the occasion of the annual convention of the International Playing-Card Society, held in Turnhout that year. To distinguish the Jokers from those in the original edition, the legend “TURNHOUT 1983” has been added to each.
By Roddy Somerville
France • 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.
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