H.P. Doebele
Artist-designed playing cards produced to demonstrate the quality of a printing technique.
According to Han Janssen, these cards were designed in 1961 by H.P. Doebele (1925-2010) for four sheets issued by Steendrukkerij (lithographic printers) de Jong of Hilversum and were intended to demonstrate the quality of their printing. The cards are small and have square corners. As the cards shown here do not match exactly in size, it may be that they were cut without great precision from the aforementioned sheets. A different set of colours has been used for the courts in each suit. There is a non-standard arrangement of the pips on many of the cards. The indices are in German. The design on the box lid has been coloured by hand. See the box►
Above: cards designed by H.P. Doebele and printed by Steendrukkerij de Jong, Hilversum, the Netherlands, 1961. 52 cards + 3 Jokers in drop-lid box. Size: 49.5 x 83 mm approx.
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.
Activity for H.P. Doebele
Sign in to comment or save this article.
Related Articles
Heartsette by Herbert Fitch & Co, 1893
A glimpse into a busy print and design office in late Victorian London.
Printing Presses
Antique printing presses from the Turnhout Playing Card Museum collection.
Lo Stampatore
‘Lo Stampatore’ linocut images created by Sergio Favret, published as a deck of cards by Editions So...
Lorilleux International
Promotional pack for Lorilleux International’s Lotus inks, with designs by James Hodges.
Imperial Club playing cards
Large index broad size cards by AGMüller using a special red ink suitable for casinos.
Lithographic Stone
Historic lithographic stone from the Fournier playing card factory, c.1888.
Luxury Collectable Playing Cards
Luxury packs of cards have been produced since the 15th century, a trend that is very popular among ...
Geschichte des Buchgewerbes
Geschichte des Buchgewerbes illustrated by Ludwig Winkler, published by Verlag für Lehrmittel Pößnec...
Master of the Playing Cards
Animal suited playing cards engraved by the Master of the Playing Cards, Germany, c.1455
Fleet Street
“Fleet Street” card game published by Chad Valley Games, c.1923.
The 52 Club
The London College of Printing '52 Club' Designers and Artists playing cards, 1984.
Manufacture of Playing Cards
Traditionally cardmakers worked in guilds with long apprenticeships under master craftsmen.
Chromolithography
Colour lithography was invented in 1798 by a Bavarian actor and playwright named Alois Senefelder (1...
Printing of Playing Cards: Stencilling
Printing of Playing Cards :: Stencilling can usually be detected by observing the outlines of the co...
Printing of Playing Cards: Letterpress
Some notes on the manufacture of playing cards taken from Thomas De la Rue's patent, 1831.
Art in Playing Cards
Playing cards have long served as miniature canvases—hand-painted, gilded, engraved and printed with...
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 60 days
Ваня Козлов (Vanya Kozlov)
19 November 2025, 09:47SavedSaved this article to Ваня Козлов's Collection