Litografía Fabbri, Lima, Peru, c.1900-20

The Italian engraver and printer Carlos Fabbri (1867- ) studied art & design in Italy. In 1887 he moved to Peru and commenced his career as artist & designer for the journal El Perú Ilustrado in Lima. By 1888 Litografía y Tipografía Carlos Fabbri, Lima, Peru, was set up in Calle Mercaderes 140. Having acquired the most up-to-date printing machinery from Italy they soon became leading book publishers and printers of postage stamps, maps, colour labels, posters, cheques, share certificates and, amongst other things, cigarette insert cards for tobacco companies during the period 1890-1920 (approx). Fabbri's artistic and industrial work was awarded gold medals at exhibitions in Paris, Milan, Madrid, London (1906) and Lima (1910).

Above: cigarette insert playing cards for "La Mutua" tobacco company printed by Litografía Fabbri, Lima, Peru, c.1900 using a decorative version of the Spanish Cadiz pattern. The printer's name appears at the bottom left-hand corner of each card, whilst the reverse shows an advertisement for "La Mutua" tobacco. The central coin of the five of coins shows a coat-of-arms of Peru, whilst the four of coins shows a basket of flowers, a motif often seen on Belgian-made Spanish cards.

Below: cigarette insert playing cards for Roldan y Cía's "El Perú" cigarettes printed by Litografía Fabbri Hnos, Lima, Peru, c.1895 using the same designs as above with extra inscriptions added below each card.