Delta Playing Cards

Delta playing cards are a modern art concept deck invented by Professor Manzoom R. Ali, an anti-war campaigner, poet and artist operating under the company name of “Artology International”. Professor Ali, who has published several literary works, is originally from Iraq but currently resides in the UK. The deck was created in around 1988, and printed in Germany by F.X. Schmid. According to the information card accompanying the pack, the cards are one of three games produced by the company: “The design of these playing cards has been inspired by Sir Isaac Newton’s concept of the Delta and by the work of Picasso on Cubism.”

Instead of depicting human figures, the courts of all four suits have the same primary design, while each suit has a different deltoid design in the center of the card. Each ace has a single image based upon the traditional English suit symbols but modified in Professor Ali’s own Deltaism style. The deck was produced in olive-green and a burgundy based colour.

Above: Delta Contemporary playing cards, invented by Professor Manzoom R. Ali of “Artology International”, c.1988. In addition to poetry writing, Professor Ali is also the inventor of the Deltar, a musical instrument, as well as starting an art movement called Deltaism. Cards courtesy Jukka Kettunen. Research by Matt Probert.

Update from Roddy Somerville

Delta Classic

At the same time as the Delta Contemporary cards, Artology published a second pack with more traditional designs. The court card designs are identical in each suit, being very loosely based on an English King of Spades, Queen of Diamonds and Jack of Hearts, though coloured red, black and gold. The arrangement of the pips on the numeral cards has been adapted to fit the triangular shape. Two different sets of colours were used for the pattern on the reverse – gold on black or black on gold - RS.

Above: Delta Classic playing cards made by F.X. Schmid, Prien am Chiemsee, Germany, for Artology International Ltd, Weybridge, UK, 1988. 52 cards + 2 Jokers + 1 extra card in clear soft plastic box. Size: 98 mm along each edge.