Llombart Costume Pack

Fancy costume packs were trending around this period and there had been a succession of finely engraved packs by Spanish designers and manufacturers such as Clemente Roxas, Josef Monjardín, Martínez de Castro. This military-style costume pack was published by Anton Llombart, Barcelona, in 1815. Some of the numeral cards are elegantly decorated with leaves and flowers; the four of cups has a lion motif inside an oval with the arms of Barcelona. The coins have the arms of Aragon, except the ace, which has those of Leon and Castile.

Llombart also produced another pack in c.1820 which became known as the Llombart pattern as it was widely imitated.

Above: military-style costume pack made by Anton Llombart, Barcelona, 1815. The ace of coins has the inscription "F_ca D'Anton Llombart Barce_na 1815." 40 cards, hand-coloured etching, backs printed in red with a pattern of small stars and dots. © The Trustees of the British Museum • Anton Llombart, Barcelona, 1815►

Reference

O’Donoghue, Freeman M: Catalogue of the collection of playing cards bequeathed by Lady Charlotte Schreiber, Trustees of the British Museum, London, 1901 (Spanish 1) [digital version here]