Playing cards by António
Caricatures by António Moreira Antunes of Portuguese politicians from the 1980s, with non-standard suits corresponding to their respective parties.
António – or, to give him his full name, António Moreira Antunes (b. 1953) – is a Portuguese political cartoonist whose work has often been controversial. He sparked outrage with a 1993 cartoon ridiculing the pope, while a 2019 cartoon criticising Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu provoked fierce protests. In this pack of elongated cards from 1985, he has caricatured leading Portuguese politicians including the then prime minister (later president) Mário Soares. The non-standard suits (two red and two black) are the symbols or logos of four different political parties in Portugal. Has António depicted himself as the Joker? The coat of arms of Portugal appears centrally on the reverse against a background of red, green and white stripes.
Above: political caricature playing cards by António Moreira Antunes published in Lisbon, Portugal, September 1985. Printer unknown. 52 cards + 2 (identical) Jokers + 1 extra card in tuck box. Size: 60 x 110 mm.
The pack appears to have no name other than that of the caricaturist: the box design features the back pattern plus "CARTAS DE JOGAR" and a reproduction of Antonio's signature. The same signature, the place (Lisboa) and the date (Setembro 1985) appear on the two sides of the box.
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.
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