Drum playing cards
Drum playing cards depicting demographically diverse Africans of different ethnicities.
This pack contains 54 cards and an additional international bridge scoring chart. It was made in the Republic of South Africa by the Protea Playing Card Company in Johannesburg as an advertising medium for Drum, Africa’s leading magazine. The non-standard court cards are the same for each suit, representing demographically diverse Africans of different ethnicities. DRUM is a South African online magazine mainly aimed at black readers containing market news, entertainment and feature articles. In 2005 it was described as "the first black lifestyle magazine in Africa", but it is noted chiefly for its early 1950s and 1960s reportage of township life under apartheid.
Above: DRUM playing cards printed by the Protea Playing Card Company, Johannesburg.
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 Drum playing cards
Sign in to comment or save this article.
Related Articles
Pierre Cardin
Geometric designs in a futurist style by Jean Garçon for the couturier Pierre Cardin.
Pendleton playing cards
Pendleton playing cards inspired by indigenous American artwork, USA, 2019.
Seven Seas Maori Playing Cards
A Gift from New Zealand
Africa playing cards
According to the United Nations there are 54 countries on the continent of Africa
African Renaissance Deck
African Renaissance Deck published for Nkosi's Haven, South Africa, 2000.
Hotel Lena
Hotel Lena playing cards published by Bichik in Yakutsk in 2001.
San Playing Cards
Rock paintings and engravings of the San people, better known as the “Bushmen”.
Mr Bok
The Merry Game of Mr Bok and his Happy Families, promoting Bok furniture polish, 1930s.
Garuda Indonesia
Souvenir playing cards from Garuda Indonesia Airlines, the national airline of Indonesia.
Castle Lager
Castle Lager playing cards, c.2012.
The Blue Train (Bloutrein)
“The Blue Train” playing cards from the luxury train service in South Africa.
Protea Bridge 999
Bridge size deck with non-standard suit colours, blue diamonds & green clubs, manufactured by Protea...
El Rodeo Talabartería
Promotional playing cards produced for ‘El Rodeo Talabartería’ specialising in leather goods and clo...
Titicaca ® Playing Cards
Each card in this novelty deck, subtitled “Funny Card”, carries information about a prestigious or p...
Air India
‘Air India’ playing cards, made in India.
Black & White Whisky by Nintendo
Whisky advertising playing cards manufactured by Nintendo Playing Cards Co Ltd for Dodwell & Co., 19...
Mongolian Playing Cards
Mongolian Playing Cards.
Moroccan Bank of Commerce and Industry
Advertising pack for the Moroccan Bank of Commerce and Industry, 1986.
Escalada y Vidiella, Montevideo c.1860
Cards from a 40-card pack made in Belgium by Antoine van Genechten exclusively for the firm "Escalad...
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 60 days
