Festa Major de Vilafranca 1988
Colourful figures associated with the annual festival held in Vilafranca, Catalonia.
Vilafranca del Penedès is situated in Catalonia between Barcelona and Tarragona. The festival held there at the end of August every year in honour of St Felix is considered to be of national importance. In this Spanish-suited pack which has the same designs in each suit, one can find gigantes (giants) on the Kings, castellers (pyramid builders), dancers, and el drac (a dragon representing the devil) on the Aces, generally in the appropriate number for each card. The human pyramids are particularly spectacular. Some of the suit symbols have had to be turned or moved from their regular positions in order to be accommodated, or omitted completely. The comodin or Joker depicts St Felix in black and white. Manel Baró is credited with the designs. See the box►
Above: Festa Major de Vilafranca 1988 playing cards designed by Manel Baró. Made by Heraclio Fournier, S.A., Vitoria, Spain, 1988. 48 cards + 2 (identical) Jokers in tuck box. Size: 61.5 x 95 mm.
By Roddy Somerville
France • Member since May 31, 2022
Roddy started collecting stamps on his 8th birthday. In 1977 he joined the newly formed playing-card department at Stanley Gibbons in London before setting up his own business in Edinburgh four years later. His collecting interests include playing cards, postcards, stamps (especially playing cards on stamps) and sugar wrappers. He is a Past President of the Scottish Philatelic Society, a former Chairman of the IPCS, a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards and Curator of the WCMPC’s collection of playing cards. He lives near Toulouse in France.
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