Trading Mart
‘Trading Mart’ playing cards published by RusJoker, St Petersburg, 2005.
The word “mart” in Russian means the month of March, but like the word “treiding” I suspect it might also be a more recent Anglo-American import into the Russian language meaning “market” or “mart” in which case “Trading mart” or "Market trading" seems a more appropriate title than "March trading".
This 54-card advertising pack, with Russian indices, was published by RusJoker, St Petersburg in 2005, in a limited edition of 250 copies. Each suit sign is embellished with the logo or trademark of one particular Russian manufacturer: the Mikoyan Russian Aircraft Corporation, a major Russian aerospace and defence company (spades); KampoMos, a leading Russian manufacturer of sausages (hearts); Cherkizovsky Market, Europe's largest marketplace, located in Moscow between early 1990s to 2009 (diamonds); and Ostankino novyi standart, a wholesaler of meat and meat products (clubs).
The aces resemble those in the Russian style pack, while the courts bear a loose similarity to the Russian Epokha vozroshdeniya pack (though more fanciful).
Above: ‘Trading mart’ playing cards published by RusJoker, St Petersburg in 2005.
By Peter Burnett
United Kingdom • Member since July 27, 2022
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.
Activity for Trading Mart
Sign in to comment or save this article.
Related Articles
COOPEXIM
A colourful Polish pack produced in 1965 for the Cooperative Company for Foreign Trade in Warsaw.
Air Mauritius
Nautical subjects aimed at a younger audience, promoting Air Mauritius.
Ormavyl
Branded advertising playing cards with modern look made in France, 1970s.
54 Affiches Retro
54 different old French advertising posters, mainly for travel and health products.
Pendleton playing cards
Pendleton playing cards inspired by indigenous American artwork, USA, 2019.
Eurocell® playing cards
Promotional playing cards produced by Eurocell® (UPVC window, door, conservatory and roofline system...
Drum playing cards
Drum playing cards depicting demographically diverse Africans of different ethnicities.
Hotel Lena
Hotel Lena playing cards published by Bichik in Yakutsk in 2001.
The world’s smallest playing cards
Samye malen’kie v mire igral’nye karty / The world’s smallest playing cards
Investors Overseas Services
Investors Overseas Services, Ltd. (IOS) by A. G. Müller (Schaffhausen), c.1969.
Piwiarnia Pub in Warsaw
Advertising Deck for the Piwiarnia Pub in Warsaw.
Miner’s Cards for Rutek Alliance
German-suited deck for the Czech company Rutek Alliance, 2012.
Schwarzkopf BC Bonacure
Schwarzkopf BC Bonacure playing cards promoting the ultimate hair perfection.
Titicaca ® Playing Cards
Each card in this novelty deck, subtitled “Funny Card”, carries information about a prestigious or p...
Speelkaarten-Fabriek Nederland “Fortuna”
Speelkaarten-Fabriek Nederland for Royal West Indian Mail Service, c.1926
Esveco Specialities B.V.
Alto Imaging Group playing cards manufactured by Esveco Specialities B.V., c.1990s
Sikar
Publicity playing cards for the Dutch credit company Sitters & van der Kar. The four Aces and Joke...
America Online Beach
America Online Beach playing cards, Spanish suit system, non-standard designs, 2006
RedElec
Publicity playing cards for RedElec Argentina, c.2008
Naipes Inca by C. Della Penna, c.1970
Naipes Inca by C. Della Penna S.A. with advertising for Laprida stationers, c.1970.
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 60 days
