Dolls Gallery
Dolls Gallery / Galereia kukol : karty igral’nye / published by Varvara Skripkina, 2003.
This 36 card pack (no Jokers) was published in 2003 by the Dolls Gallery founded by St. Petersburg artist Varvara Skripkina. The court cards (all named) portray dolls or puppets from the Gallery, while the Ace of each suit portrays a Vladimir Putin doll in different clothing according to the season: winter (Clubs): Putin going skiing • spring (Spades): Putin the farmer with a shovel • summer (Hearts): Putin going fishing • autumn (Diamonds): Putin going to collect mushrooms.
Varvara Skripkina’s Gallery of Dolls is described as follows: “One of the biggest doll galleries in Europe. Over 300 works by 60 masters are exhibited here. Dolls that are exposed in the gallery represent the times when everyone perceived dolls as luxury items. Every exhibit is unique with its history and unusual name. Some of the dolls can be purchased. For the gallery’s anniversary theme exhibitions and celebrations are held.” Visit: “Doll Gallery” of Varvara Skripkina►
Above: Dolls Gallery / Galereia kukol : karty igral’nye, playing cards published by Varvara Skripkina, 2003. 36 cards.
By Peter Burnett
United Kingdom • Member since July 27, 2022 • Contact
I 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.
Related Articles
Castle Rock Club
Castle Rock Club playing cards featuring Russian rock stars and musicians, c. 2000.
Trading Mart
‘Trading Mart’ playing cards published by RusJoker, St Petersburg, 2005.
Russian Playing Cards
Playing cards were known in Muscovy as early as the last quarter of the sixteenth century.
Moscow Poker
“Moscow” - from the Soviet series produced by Sprint, Ivanovo, 2013.
Karty Lyubvi
Karty lyubvi Slavyanskie (Slavonic love cards) and Karty lyubvi Starinnye (Ancient love cards).
Fabergé playing cards
Kollektsiya Faberzhe karty igral’nye (Fabergé playing cards), Russia, 2005.
Centaurus
Centaurus: karty igral’nye suvenirnye, Russia, 2005.
Kashmir Playing Cards
Kashmir playing cards designed by Lev Liberman and printed by Printissa, Saint Petersburg, 2005.
Saint Petersburg vintage playing cards
Saint Petersburg vintage photography playing cards.
Soviet propaganda posters
Propaganda posters of the Soviet Union.
Russian Federation
Russian Federation pack featuring leading political figures of the time, c.2000.
Peterhof souvenir playing cards
Peterhof souvenir playing cards (Petergof suvenirnye igral’nye karty) published by Mednyi Vsadnik (B...
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.
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 b...
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.
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 60 days
