
Rex Pitts (1940-2021)
Member since January 30, 2009Rex's main interest was in card games, because, he said, they were cheap and easy to get hold of in his early days of collecting. He is well known for his extensive knowledge of Pepys games and his book is on the bookshelves of many.
His other interest was non-standard playing cards. He also had collections of sheet music, music CDs, models of London buses, London Transport timetables and maps and other objects that intrigued him.
Rex had a chequered career at school. He was expelled twice, on one occasion for smoking! Despite this he trained as a radio engineer and worked for the BBC in the World Service.
Later he moved into sales and worked for a firm that made all kinds of packaging, a job he enjoyed until his retirement. He became an expert on boxes and would always investigate those that held his cards. He could always recognize a box made for Pepys, which were the same as those of Alf Cooke’s Universal Playing Card Company, who printed the card games. This interest changed into an ability to make and mend boxes, which he did with great dexterity. He loved this kind of handicraft work.
His dexterity of hand and eye soon led to his making card games of his own design. He spent hours and hours carefully cutting them out and colouring them by hand.
The latest articles from Rex Pitts (1940-2021)
J. W. Spear and Sons
Jacob Wolfe Spear founded his company manufacturing fancy goods in 1879 near Nuremberg in Bavaria, Germany • May 22, 2021
Chad Valley Co. Ltd
Chad Valley Co. Ltd (incorporating Johnson Brothers (Harborne) Ltd, the long-established UK brand bought by Woolworths in 1988 and now sold at Argos. • May 22, 2021
Multum in Parvo Co., Ltd
Multum in Parvo published a range of indoor games during the period from 1884-1927. • May 22, 2021
Ariel Productions Ltd
The founder of Ariel Productions, Philip Marx, was a prolific publisher of children’s books and comics towards the end of and just after the Second World War. • May 22, 2021
Kum-Bak Sports, Toys & Games
Kum-Bak Sports, Toys & Games MFG Co., Ltd, London S.E.11 • May 22, 2021
Crazy People
Crazy People children’s card game illustrated by caricaturist and graphic artist Walter Trier, c.1950. • May 21, 2021
Panko
Panko (Votes for Women) suffragette card game published by Peter Gurney Ltd, c.1912. • May 15, 2021
Snap
Anonymous Snap game, 1930s. • May 14, 2021
Lion Coffee
Lion Coffee Mother Goose card game, late 19th C. • May 12, 2021
Panto People
Panto People published by E. S. & A. Robinson, c.1930s. • May 11, 2021
Hats-Off!
Hats-Off! miniature card game published by E. S. & A. Robinson, c.1930s. • May 10, 2021
Zoo-Boots
Zoo-Boots published by E. S. & A. Robinson, c.1930s. • May 09, 2021
XIXth Century
The XIXth Century published by John Jaques & Son, c.1875. • May 03, 2021
The ‘Rinker’ Snap
The ‘Rinker’ highly amusing snap game, c.1910. • Apr 29, 2021
Fortune Telling
Fortune Telling cards by Whitman Publishing Co., 1940. • Apr 28, 2021
Österreichisches Trachten-quartett
Österreichisches Trachten-quartett Nr.282 published by Ferd Piatnik & Söhne. • Apr 18, 2021
Round the World Happy Families
Round the World Happy Families by Chiefton Products Ltd of Bristol, c.1950s. • Apr 17, 2021
Geschichte des Buchgewerbes
Geschichte des Buchgewerbes illustrated by Ludwig Winkler, published by Verlag für Lehrmittel Pößneck. • Apr 16, 2021
So Fängt Es An
“So Fängt Es An” beautifully illustrated by M. Neugebauer, published by Helingsche Verlagsanstalt, c.1950. • Apr 15, 2021
Abbatt Animal Families
Abbatt Toys Animal Families, c.1970. • Apr 10, 2021
La Sibylle des Salons
La Sibylle des Salons facsimile of 19th century deck published by J M Simon, 1979. • Apr 03, 2021
Verkehrsmittel Einst und Jetzt
“Verkehrsmittel Einst und Jetzt” transport quartet game by Bielefelder Spielkarten Fabrik GmbH, 1958. • Apr 02, 2021
Asterix Abenteuer
Asterix Adventure quartet game by ASS, 1989. • Apr 01, 2021
Vargas Girls
‘Vargas Girls’ paintings by Alberto Vargas in a deck of cards published by Creative Playing Card Co Missouri. • Mar 27, 2021
The Art of Pin-Up decks
Feminine beauty has been appreciated since prehistory. • Mar 22, 2021
Portraits of a Lady
Portraits of a Lady by Lo Scarabeo, 2003. • Mar 21, 2021
French for Fun
French for Fun instructive card game published by John Jaques & Son Ltd., c.1930s • Mar 19, 2021
Eurotrotter
Eurotrotter by La Ducale, c.1980s. • Mar 17, 2021
Schwarzer Peter no.964
Schwarzer Peter no.964 published by Josef Hohlweg, Vienna, early 20th century. • Mar 16, 2021
Counties of Britain
Counties of Britain by John Jaques & Son Ltd. c.1930. • Mar 16, 2021
Alice
Alice with artwork by Jesús Blasco, published by Lo Scarabeo, 2003. • Mar 07, 2021
Radio Banker
Radio Banker by John Waddington Ltd for Marconiphone Co Ltd. • Mar 02, 2021
Tout Est Bien Qui Finit Bien
‘Tout Est Bien Qui Finit Bien’ family card game by Dondorf. • Mar 01, 2021
Pulp Pin-Up
Classic 1940s Pulp Pin-Up covers on playing cards from China, c.2010. • Feb 28, 2021
Liberty
Liberty playing cards designed by Antonella Castelli, published by Lo Scarabeo, 2003. • Feb 28, 2021
Il Circo
Il Circo illustrated by Jules Garnier, published by Lo Scarabeo, 2004. • Feb 27, 2021
William Tell
Facsimile of Swiss William Tell deck from c.1870 published by Lo Scarabeo. • Feb 26, 2021
Luxus Skatkarte Nr.1134
Luxus Skatkarte Nr.1134 printed by Brepols for Germany, c.1940s. • Feb 26, 2021
Römihártya
Römihártya pin-up deck from Hungary. • Feb 26, 2021
Zwarte Piet
Zwarte Piet by Dondorf for the Dutch market, 1906. • Feb 25, 2021
Jigstar
Jigstar film star card game by Murphy Games Ltd, 1936. • Feb 24, 2021
Black Peter
Black Peter card game designed by Willy Mayrl for Piatnik. • Feb 20, 2021
Corrida de Toros
Bull fighting card game publshed by Naipes Comas, 1969. • Feb 18, 2021
Countries of Empire
“Countries of Empire” published by John Jaques & Son Ltd, c.1930s. • Feb 16, 2021
Majas Alfabets Spel
Majas Alfabets Spel beautifully illustrated by Lena Andersson, 1980s. • Feb 14, 2021
Gulliver im Land der Zwerge
Gulliver in the Land of Dwarfs quartet published by Verlag für Lehrmittel, Pößneck. • Feb 14, 2021
El Gato con Botas
Puss in Boots card game manufactured by H. Fournier, 1981. • Feb 13, 2021
Anma US Armed Forces
Anma US Armed Forces, 1942. • Feb 11, 2021
Gas Warm Homes
Gas Warm Homes Happy Families game published by British Gas, c.1980. • Feb 10, 2021
Bass & Bass Jeu des Familles
Bass & Bass ‘Jeu des Familles’ made by Franz-Josef Holler, Münich, 1989. • Feb 09, 2021