Jazz Legends playing cards
52 different photographs of famous jazz musicians.
Jazz is a music genre which originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, USA, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Depicted here are 52 different jazz musicians – singers and instrumentalists – mainly from the 1950s and 1960s. All the photographs were taken by Sweden’s most famous jazz photographer, Bengt H. Malmqvist (1928-2008), who in his work succeeded in capturing the joy and intensity of effort involved in the creation and performance of jazz music. More information about the photographer can be found on the inner side of the box lid. Among the famous names included here are Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Count Basie and Ella Fitzgerald. The Jokers feature different instruments. See the box►
Above: Jazz Legends playing cards printed by Offason AB, Sweden, c.2007. 52 cards + 3 Jokers + 1 extra card in drop-lid box. Size: 63 x 84 mm.
By Roddy Somerville
France • Member since May 31, 2022 • Contact
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.
Related Articles
Songs with Flute accompaniment
Eighteenth century English engraved cards with music for voice and flute.
Poker Combi-Nation
‘Split’ cards with English pattern designs at both ends.
Famous Faces playing cards
Images of the great and the good to be found in the National Portrait Gallery, London.
Music playing cards
Portraits of 13 classical music composers.
Sweden playing cards
Named characters from Swedish history.
Jeu des Copains
French popular singing stars of the 1960s.
Jeu de cartes des Opéras romantiques
Costumes from four operas premiered at the Paris Opera between 1830 and 1840.
Schweden Spielkarten
54 different souvenir views of famous people and places in Sweden.
The Saab 900 Convertible playing cards
A flicker pack with different backs, advertising the Saab 900 Convertible motor car.
Le Jeu des 4 Opéras
Characters from five famous operas brought alive in artist Silvia Maddonni’s inimitable style.
New Musical Express
54 black and white photographs of solo singers, duos and groups popular around 1990.
SCANIA 1891-1991
Centenary playing cards illustrating vintage trucks and buses produced by the Swedish company Scania...
Crazyrider playing cards
Stylised portrayal of rock musicians from the 1980s.
Football playing cards
52 different legends from the world of football.
Rapalje
Promotional pack for a Dutch Celtic folk band which performs Irish, Scottish and Dutch folk music, c...
My Fair Lady
Theatre programme in the form of a pack of cards. East Germany, c.1967.
Löjliga Spel Kort
Facsimile edition of “Löjliga Spel Kort” (1825) illustrated playing cards from Sweden, showing scene...
Offason “Beau”
Offason AB “Beau” playing cards designed by Åke Arenhill from Sweden, c.1990.
Grand Prix Champions
“Grand Prix Champions” printed by Offason.
501 playing cards by Alf Cooke
“Five 'o One” playing cards, a version of the Dondorf Rhineland pattern, manufactured by Universal P...
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 60 days
