Tarock Cards by NIL Spielkartenfabrik

Around 1890, the company NIL Spielkartenfabrik was founded in Lemberg (at that time in the Kingdom of Halych, part of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy). Along with the change of state structure in Central Europe after World War I, the city became part of the Polish state under the name Lwow. Probably at this time, the original company was also transformed into the new name Karpalit S.A. in Lwów (KARPALIT Spółka Akcyjna dla Fabrykacji Kart do Gry, Wyrobów Papierowych i Przemysłu Litograficznego / Joint Stock Company for the Manufacture of Playing Cards, Paper Products, and Lithographic Industry). The manufacturer kept the original logo with the dromedary . The history of the company probably ends with the Second World War. Today, the city of Львів is part of Ukraine.

One of the products of the original NIL Spielkartenfabrik was the Austrian tarock deck (sometimes also referred to as Industrie und Glück tarock or Rural Scenes tarock). The product corresponds to the classification "Austrian Tarot, Type B" of The International Playing Card Society. The deck contains 54 cards measuring 76 x 132 mm in a good quality finish, as corresponds to the value of a tax stamp priced at 120 Hellers. The maker's marking is shown on the heart 1 and club Jack and diamond Jack cards, as is typical of this deck. The cards can be dated between 1900-1920 according to the tax stamp.

Above: Industrie und Glück or Rural Scenes Tarock cards published by NIL Spielkartenfabrik, Lemberg (part of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire now known as Lviv), c.1910.

References

The time periods are based on Sławomir Cyfert's article on the Alta Carta portal►

Austrian Tarot type B is defined here: Pattern sheet 15►