El Barco

Advertising playing Cards for Chocolates "El Barco" designed by E. Pastor and manufactured by Simeon Durá, Valencia, Spain, c.1895

Above: E. Pastor's magnificently illustrated Spanish suited playing cards specially designed for Chocolates 'El Barco' and printed chromolithographically by Simeon Durá, Valencia, c.1895. This pack is regarded by many collectors as the unsurpassed masterpiece of Spanish playing card production. E. Pastor also designed Simeon Durá's fantasy Castilian pack, which was later re-drawn to become the company's standard pattern.