Naipes Expo ’92
Naipes Expo ’92 souvenir playing cards manufactured by Naipes Comas, 1992.
The Seville Expo '92 was a universal exposition that took place between April and October, 1992, on La Isla de La Cartuja (Charterhouse Island), Seville, Spain. The theme for the expo was "The Age of Discovery", celebrating the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus reaching the Americas after launching from Seville. See the box►
In this souvenir pack the suit of coins is represented by the symbol of the Expo, a globe crossed by a net, the suit of cups is represented by a caravel (a light sailing ship of the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries in Europe), the suit of swords is the Giralda, a symbol of Seville, and the suit of clubs is a bottle oven, a symbol of La Cartuja or Charterhouse ceramic factory that once stood in the grounds of the Carthusian Monastery of Santa Maria de las Cuevas on the Isla de La Cartuja.
The court cards represent different groups: coins - Medieval Castilians; caravel - inhabitants of the new world; Giralda - Muslims; bottle oven / cartuja – Monks. The jokers are the strange "Curro" mascot of the Exhibition. This has the shape of a big white bird with the legs of an elephant, whose long conical beak and crest had the colours of the rainbow. See more details►
Above: Naipes Expo ’92 manufactured by Naipes Comas, 1992.
By Peter Burnett
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.
Trending Articles
Popular articles from the past 28 days
Related Articles
Woodblock and Stencil King of Diamonds
A limited edition art print of the King of Diamonds 1984 woodblock joker.
Woodblock and Stencil Jack of Hearts
A limited edition art print of the Jack of Hearts 1984 woodblock joker.
Woodblock and Stencil Queen of Clubs
A limited edition art print of the Queen of Clubs 1984 woodblock joker.
Woodblock and Stencil Jack of Clubs
A limited edition art print of the Jack of Clubs 1984 woodblock joker.
Miniature spanish-suited playing cards
Pack of 48 miniature spanish playing-cards published by C R.
Manara: baraja de poker
Exotic illustrations by Italian comic book artist and writer Milo Manara.
Scenic Views of Australia
54 different scenic views of Australia in full colour.
Alice in Wonderland
Alice in Wonderland collector’s edition with illustrations of characters from the film, published by...
Women by Royo
‘Women by Royo’ erotic playing cards published by Heraclio Fournier, Spain, 2001.
Monuments de Paris
‘Monuments de Paris’ souvenir playing cards produced by Heraclio Fournier, c.1964.
B. Braun-Dexon®
Publicity pack promoting B. Braun-Dexon’s atraumatic needles, with non-standard courts and pips.
Bibaraja
Amusing designs of boys as circus performers by Alberto Muñiz Sánchez.
Peintres Latino Americains
Original artwork by 18 different Latin American artists.
British Monarchs
Commemorating the royal wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales to Lady Diana Spencer on the 29th
Paco Lobo
Highly original and striking designs by Paco Lobo for the fashion house of the same name.
Loewe: Moda Europea Siglo XVII
Luxury pack for the Spanish fashion house Loewe, with 17th century costume designs by Margot Hamilto...
Toros: De El Cordobés a Espartaco
Publicity pack for the Spanish newspaper Ya with caricatures of famous bullfighters by Fernan...
Baraja de Alava
55 different paintings by Emilio Lope depicting the history and culture of Vitoria and the province ...
Jeu du Bicentenaire de la Révolution Française
Pack created by Yannick Pennanguer commemorating the bicentenary of the French Revolution and the ce...
Past Masters’ Association Presentation Pack
The Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards Past Masters’ Association Presentation Pack, 2013....
Postak – Las Postas
‘Postak - Las Postas’ playing cards commemorating the history of the Basque postal service, Spain, 1...
Colour doodle deck
“1952-2002 commemorative deck” customised with doodles by an uncredited artist, UK, 2011.
Tarot de Madrid
Black-and-white photographs of models whose faces are made up using elements found on the major arca...
Borna Skat
Publicity pack for the Saxon town of Borna, with designs by Andreas Wachter.
Holy Trinity Church playing cards
Holy Trinity Church commemoration playing cards, USA, 2011.
Wren 300 playing cards
Papercuts by Chloe Campbell of the 52 Wren churches in the City of London.
Marlow playing cards
Visitor attractions and businesses to be found in Marlow, Buckinghamshire.
Naipes de Personajes Granadinos
Forty famous men and women with links to Granada, on a pack designed by Rubén Garrido.
El Niño de las Pinturas
Forty-nine distinctive works by Spanish graffiti artist Raúl Ruiz.
Don Quixote playing cards
Don Quixote playing cards designed by Nam Tibon, USA, 2016.
Pere Pau Rotxotxo Puigdoura
Spanish national pattern by Pere Pau Rotxotxo Puigdoura (1766–1797).
Swiss Scenic Tarock
Scenic Tarock deck produced by Fabrique de Cartes J. Müller & Cie (Schaffhouse), Suisse.
Papyrus Playing Cards
Papyrus playing cards distributed by Egypt Trade, c.1996.
Das Nassauische Kartenspiel
Pack conceived by Berthold Conradi, commemorating the 700th anniversary of the granting of town righ...
Commemorative Olympic Playing Cards
Commemorative Olympic Playing Cards produced by Waddingtons exclusively for Stanley Gibbons Antiquar...
Mario Testino playing cards
A selection of Mario Testino’s photographic work in various fields, notably fashion.
Les Montgolfières 1783-1983
Honouring the bicentenary of the Montgolfier brothers’ first balloon flights in 1783.
Centennial Olympic Games playing cards
Centennial Olympic Games playing cards celebrating the centenary of the modern Olympic Games, 1896-1...
British Columbia Souvenir
British Columbia Souvenir Playing Cards by The Clarke and Stuart Company
Star Wars: a New Hope
‘Star Wars: a New Hope’ playing cards to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the film Star Wars, USA, ...
Moorish Deck
Review of “Trzes’ Moorish Deck” facsimile published by Ulrich Kaltenborn, Berlin, 2023.
American President Lines
American President Lines shipping souvenir playing cards, early to mid-1950s.
El Jueves playing cards
Caricatures of 52 famous Spaniards for the satirical magazine “El Jueves”.
Naipe Navarro
Historical figures and artefacts from Navarre with designs by M. Sinués for the Navarre Association ...