Fabergé playing cards
Kollektsiya Faberzhe karty igral’nye (Fabergé playing cards), Russia, 2005.
Another beautifully produced pack from Printissa, St. Petersburg, 2005. Each of the 52 cards and two jokers show an exquisite work of the House of Fabergé.
Karl Fabergé is best known for the famous Fabergé eggs made in the style of genuine Easter eggs but using precious metals and gemstones rather than more mundane materials. But he also made many more objects ranging from silver tableware to fine jewellery which were also of exceptional quality and beauty. Many of the eggs are shown in this pack together with a variety of other items including cigarette cases, scent flasks, cups, watches and broaches.
Above: Fabergé playing cards produced by Printissa, St. Petersburg, 2005. 52 cards + 2 jokers.
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).
Sea Myths Playing Cards
Morskie mify (Sea myths) designed by Lev Liberman, 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...
Dolls Gallery
Dolls Gallery / Galereia kukol : karty igral’nye / published by Varvara Skripkina, 2003.
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
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 60 days
