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Simon Wintle

Member since February 01, 1996

Founder and editor of the World of Playing Cards since 1996. He is a former committee member of the IPCS and was graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal for many years. He has lived at various times in Chile, England and Wales and is currently living in Extremadura, Spain. Simon's first limited edition pack of playing cards was a replica of a seventeenth century traditional English pack, which he produced from woodblocks and stencils.

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2003 Tensho Mekuri - Japan

Tensho Mekuri - Japan

Tensho Mekuri cards hand-made by Patricia Kirk, 2003.

The ‘Parisian’ Spanish pattern

A version of the old Spanish National pattern which was manufactured by Parisian card makers in the 19th century for export to South America.

1728 The Beggars’ Opera

The Beggars’ Opera

The Beggars’ Opera Playing Cards were first published in 1728. The cards carry the words and music of the songs from Gay’s opera, which was intended as a parody of current Italian works. The music was taken from many popular tunes of the day.

1588 The Book of Trades by Jost Amman, 1588

The Book of Trades by Jost Amman, 1588

The Book of Trades by the prolific German Renaissance artist Jost Amman (1539-91). Suits are books, printers' pads, wine-pots and drinking cups.

1996 The Deal Playing-card Project

The Deal Playing-card Project

A deck of cards produced as a creative collaboration and made possible largely through volunteers and sponsorship of various kinds.

2003 The Enchanted Journey

The Enchanted Journey

The Enchanted Journey

The Enchanted Journey

Cards from the delightful Enchanted Journey playing-cards by Karen Curran of Australia.

The Five Minute Handwriting Analysis Kit

Handwriting Insights - the 5 minute handwriting analysis kit - allows you to better understand people, including yourself, by looking at the way they write.

1998 The Hemp Culture Playing Cards

The Hemp Culture Playing Cards

There is an underlying element of subtle humour in these cleverly designed playing cards, gently questioning the issue of legality.

2006 The Llewellyn Tarot - Welsh tarot cards

The Llewellyn Tarot - Welsh tarot cards

The Llewellyn Tarot - Welsh tarot cards

1950 The Monkey

The Monkey

‘The Monkey’ poker playing cards manufactured by M.C. de Casabó Ltda, Uruguay, c.1950.

The Peerless Playing Card Company, London c.1890

James English's playing card factory was re-named Peerless in around 1880 when the title Peerless Card Company appeared on the ace of spades.

1440 The Princely Hunting pack, c.1440

The Princely Hunting pack, c.1440

The Princely Hunting Pack, c.1440/45, is attributed to Konrad Witz and his workshop in Basle.

1460 The Visconti-Sforza Tarot, c.1460

The Visconti-Sforza Tarot, c.1460

This pack of tarot cards appears to have have been made in the Bembo workshop in Cremona for Bianca Maria Visconti, c.1460.

The Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards

The Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards was founded by Royal Charter in 1628.

1935 Thomson-Leng Tarot

Thomson-Leng Tarot

The Thomson-Leng Tarot Cards were issued by the publishers of women's magazines during the 1930s. The cards are loosely based upon the Rider-Waite tarot.

1945 Torcacita, c.1945-65

Torcacita, c.1945-65

Naipes Naipes Torcacita, c.1945-65. Spanish-suited playing cards made by Orestes A. Cappellano; several examples from between c.1945-70.

Torras y Lleó, Barcelona, Spain, c.1838-1921

Francisco Torras y Lleó was a playing-card maker in calle Carmen, Barcelona, who flourished during the period 1838-1860.

Toyo playing cards No.88 for Peru

Toyo playing cards No.88 manufactured in China for the “Estanco de Naipes del Perú”, 1950s.

1811 Transformation Playing Cards, 1811

Transformation Playing Cards, 1811

Transformation playing cards, first published in 1811. Each card bears a picture in which the suit marks are concealed within the design. This artistic exercise began as a late 18th century pastime.

U. S. A.

The manufacture of playing cards in America only began during the second half of the 18th century, and not before 1776 by some estimates.

1780 Unsun Karuta

Unsun Karuta

Unsun Karuta うんすんかるた Japan c.1780.

Uruguay playing card tax

In 1806 the Council of Concepción del Uruguay imposed an 8 Peso tax on card and billiard tables on account of “the detrimental effect on poor and innocent people”

W. H. Willis & Co

Willis & Company was formed in 1869, having been preceded by Charles Steer at the same address (80 Long Acre, London), who also manufactured playing cards during the 1850s and 60s.

Waddington’s “Envoy“ Series

Waddington’s “Envoy“ Series.

Waddington’s “Flying” Series, 1933

Waddington’s “Flying” Series, 1933.

Waddington’s “Rural England” Series, 1933

Waddington’s "Rural England" Series, 1933.

1933 Waddington’s 1933 Trade Brochure

Waddington’s 1933 Trade Brochure

Waddington’s 1933 Trade Brochure.

1930 Waddington’s Cir-Q-Lar Playing Cards

Waddington’s Cir-Q-Lar Playing Cards

Waddington's Cir-Q-Lar Playing Cards, c.1930

1933 Waddington’s Clan Tartan Series

Waddington’s Clan Tartan Series

Waddington’s Clan Tartan Series, 1933.

Waddington’s Classic and Wildlife Series, 1933

Waddington’s Classic and Wildlife Series, 1933.

Waddington’s Dog Series

Waddington’s Dog Series, 1933

1933 Waddington’s Encore Series

Waddington’s Encore Series

Waddington’s Encore Series 1933.

1933 Waddington’s Old Master Series, 1933

Waddington’s Old Master Series, 1933

Waddington’s Old Master Series, 1933

1933 Waddington’s Sporting Birds Series 1933

Waddington’s Sporting Birds Series 1933

Waddington’s Sporting Birds Series 1933.

1933 Waddington’s Sporting Series

Waddington’s Sporting Series

Waddington’s Sporting Series, 1933.

Waddington’s Varsity Series

Waddington’s Varsity Series.

Waddington’s Wildlife and Classic Series, 1933

Waddington’s Wildlife and Classic Series, 1933.

1990 Walt Disney playing cards

Walt Disney playing cards

‘Naipes Donald’, children's miniature Spanish-suited Walt Disney playing cards, Uruguay, c.1990.

War Aid

Hadsegélyzö Kártya ('War Aid Pack' or 'War Aid Cards') Nr. 63 designed by Leo Kober and first published by Piatnik, Budapest, in 1917.

War Aid 2

Hungarian War Aid Playing Cards

Welcome to ‘On The Cards’

A Gallery of Playing Card Artists and Designers

Wild! by Peter Wood

Wild! by Peter Wood.

World of Playing Cards Links

Links to other playing card websites

1462 XV Century Italian Playing Cards

XV Century Italian Playing Cards

Cards from a pack of an early form of north Italian playing cards, with the swords back-to-back and curved outwards. Believed to be Venetian, dated 1462.

1968 Zoo Comics

Zoo Comics

ZOO COMICS animated playing cards made by Litografía Ferri, Valencia (Spain), first published in 1968.

2006 Estate Playing Cards

Estate Playing Cards

Estate Playing Cards with five suits designed by Keith Wilson

1987 Woodblock and Stencil Playing Cards

Woodblock and Stencil Playing Cards

Around 1987 I decided to make a pack of playing cards from woodblocks and coloured with stencils. I imagined I was carrying out my 'apprenticeship'.

1987 A Moorish Sheet of Playing Cards

A Moorish Sheet of Playing Cards

This article was originally published in “The Playing-Card”, the Journal of the International Playing-Card Society (London), Volume XV, No.4, May 1987.