Peter Burnett
Member since July 27, 2022I graduated in Russian and East European Studies from Birmingham University in 1969. It was as an undergraduate in Moscow in 1968 that I stumbled upon my first 3 packs of “unusual” playing cards which fired my curiosity and thence my life-long interest. I began researching and collecting cards in the early 1970s, since when I’ve acquired over 3,330 packs of non-standard cards, mainly from North America, UK and Western Europe, and of course from Russia and the former communist countries.
Following my retirement from the Bodleian Library in Dec. 2007 I took up a new role as Head of Library Development at the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP) to support library development in low-income countries. This work necessitated regular training visits to many sub-Saharan African countries and also further afield, to Vietnam, Nepal and Bangladesh – all of which provided rich opportunities to further expand my playing card collection.
Since 2019 I’ve been working part-time in the Bodleian Library where I’ve been cataloguing the bequest of the late Donald Welsh, founder of the English Playing Card Society.
Pack of dogs
Pack of dogs playing cards with portraits by Gina Andrews, England, 2017.
52 Chess Openings
52 chess openings published by SynHeme Inc., Canada.
Hillbaggers Top 52 playing cards
Hillbaggers Top 52 playing cards designed by Caroline McCann, 2019.
Tobago playing cards
Tobago playing cards designed by Boriss Mitins, 2004.
Hawaiian Souvenir playing cards
Hawaiian Souvenir playing cards, 1901.
Jamaican trivia playing cards
Jamaican trivia playing cards created by Emprezz Mullings, 2011.
The Great Storm
The Great Storm, Israel, 2003
Africa playing cards
According to the United Nations there are 54 countries on the continent of Africa
Drum playing cards
Drum playing cards depicting demographically diverse Africans of different ethnicities.
African Renaissance Deck
African Renaissance Deck published for Nkosi's Haven, South Africa, 2000.
Traditional Nomadic Life of Mongolia
Playing cards depicting paintings of Traditional Nomadic Life of Mongolia.
Bhutan, Land of the Thunder Dragon
Bhutan, Land of the Thunder Dragon: 52 pictures of Bhutan published by Knowledgecards.
Playing cards from Suriname
Playing cards reflecting the history and culture of Suriname, on the northeastern coast of South America.
Malaya 1941-1942: King George VI currency notes
Playing cards featuring King George VI Currency Notes, Malaya 1941-1942.
National Costumes of Mongolia
National Costumes of Mongolia pack produced by the Wuyi Giant Colour Printing Co., Ltd.
Birds of Southern Africa
Sapra Studio Original playing cards beautifully illustrated with birds of Southern Africa.
Bahamas in Colour playing cards
Bahamas in Colour playing cards produced by Executive Printers of the Bahamas Ltd., Nassau, 2010.
Karata playing cards
Karata playing cards produced in Nairobi, c. 1970.
Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas
Atlantis Paradise Island Hotel casino playing cards.
Tanisa cartes à jouer
“Tanisa cartes à jouer” published by Colormad, Madagascar.
Habesha playing cards
Habesha playing cards published by “Ethiopian Reflection”
KITAB Playing Cards
KITAB playing cards with artwork by Abayneh Abebe, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Hotel Lena
Hotel Lena playing cards published by Bichik in Yakutsk in 2001.
Peterhof souvenir playing cards
Peterhof souvenir playing cards (Petergof suvenirnye igral’nye karty) published by Mednyi Vsadnik (Bronze Horseman), St. Petersburg.
Pushkin
Pack designed by M. Rydaeva celebrating the 200th anniversary of Alexander Pushkin’s birth.
Canadian heritage playing cards
Canadian Heritage Playing Cards designed by Gabriel de Beney, 1994.
Dolls Gallery
Dolls Gallery / Galereia kukol : karty igral’nye / published by Varvara Skripkina, 2003.
Treasures of the Russian Museum
Treasures of the Russian Museum / Russkii Muzei : suvenirnye igral’nye karty.
Russian Cities Coats-of-Arms
Rossiia / Municipal Coats-of-Arms of Russian Federation.
Matryoshka playing cards
The first nested doll set was carved in 1890.
Palekh and Kholui lacquer miniatures
Palekh and Kholui lacquer miniatures.
Playing cards in Russian life
Playing cards in Russian life - Karty v zhizni Rossii - published by Aleksandr Lutkovskii in 2004.
Spot the Difference
Spot the Difference playing cards published in "Razvlekatel’naia Gazetka" newspaper, 1998-1999.
The world’s smallest playing cards
Samye malen’kie v mire igral’nye karty / The world’s smallest playing cards
Hunting playing cards
Hunting playing cards / “Okhotnich’i karty” with illustrations by the court artist Mihály Zichy.
Russian Emperors
Russian Emperors playing cards / “Rossiiskie imperatory karty igral’nye” produced and illustrated by Aleksei Orleanskii, 2006.
Russian Beer
Russian Beer playing cards / “Russkoe pivo karty igral’nye” produced in 2006
Dead Souls
Dead Souls, or “Mertvye dushi igral’nye karty” produced in 2006 by Aleksei Orleanskii.
Chernobyl Memorial Playing Cards
Chernobyl Memorial Playing Cards designed by Misery Development Ltd. / Nicolai Aaroe and printed in Ukraine by Noir Arts Playing Cards.
Suvenirnye Karty Odesskie
Pack printed by “Moryak” in Odessa illustrated by artist Yu. Litvinenko.
Suvenirni Karti: XVII Storochchia
Warriors and Soldiers of the 17th century, produced in L’viv in 2010.
Ukrainian souvenir playing cards
Ukrains’ki karti gral’ni suvenirni / Ukrainian souvenir playing cards designed by Andrii Letn’ov, c.2012.
Eneida
This pack was designed by Oksana Ternavska and first published in 2011 as a supplement to the book "Eneida", a poem written by Ivan Kotliarevsky in 1798.
Rokoko
Rokoko (Rococo) reflecting the dress and culture of the first half of the 18th century.