Vasa Dynasty
The House of Vasa was the royal house of Sweden 1523–1654 and subsequent rulers have emphasized their Vasa descent through a female line
Vasa Dynasty Playing Cards
The House of Vasa was the royal house of Sweden 1523–1654 and subsequent rulers have emphasized their Vasa descent through a female line. The lineage became divided between adherents to Catholic and Lutheran faith, leading to wars and new alliances more→
Above: original deck printed in chromolithography with enamel finish by Aktieb. J.O. Öberg & Son, Eskilstuna, 1928.
Above: modern reprint by Esselte Öbergs. Images courtesy Matt Probert.
Far Right: the original 1928 back design.
By Simon Wintle
Member since February 01, 1996
View ArticlesCurator and editor of the World of Playing Cards since 1996. He is a former committee member of the IPCS and was graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal for many years. He has lived at various times in Chile, England and Wales and is currently living in Extremadura, Spain. Simon's first limited edition pack of playing cards was a replica of a seventeenth century traditional English pack, which he produced from woodblocks and stencils.
Leave a Reply
Recommended
Majas Alfabets Spel
Majas Alfabets Spel beautifully illustrated by Lena Andersson, 1980s.
Dynastie Royale de Belgique
Dynastie Royale de Belgique by Mesmaekers, 1934.
Souvenir of Norway
Souvenir of Norway deck.
Kalevala
Kalevala playing cards by Sunish Chabba and Ishan Trivedi inspired by ancient Finnish mythology.
Moviestars
Moviestars from the golden age of cinema by Offason AB of Sweden, c.2000s.
Peterhof
“Peterhof” deck manufactured at the Leningrad Colour Printing Plant in 1999.
Views from Norway
“54 Views from Norway” souvenir playing cards published by Normanns Kunstforlag A/S, c.1990s.
Warburg’s Danske
Warburg’s Danske playing cards published by Aktieselskabet Emil Jensen, København, 1944.
Warburg’s Skandinaviske Bridge Kort
“Warburg’s Skandinaviske Bridge Kort” published by Aktieselskabet Emil Jensen, København, c.1935.
VR-VISA
VR-VISA playing cards published by VR Group, the state-owned railway company in Finland.
Löjliga Spel Kort
Facsimile edition of “Löjliga Spel Kort” (1825) illustrated playing cards from Sweden, showing scenes from Fredman‘s Epistles and Songs
Jacob Bagges AB
Playing cards published by Jacob Bagges AB Stockholm, close copies of Dondorf designs.
Standard Handa Pattern
Standard Danish playing cards made by Handa, Copenhagen.
Öbergs ‘Svenska Lloyd’
‘Svenska Lloyd’ shipping company playing cards published by J.O. Öberg & Son, Eskilstuna, c.1955.
Åkerlund & Rausing
Swedish style pack by Åkerlund & Rausing, Stockholm, 1931-1937
Öbergs ‘Comedia’
Öbergs “Comedia” playing cards designed by Stig Lindberg from Sweden, c.1958
Four Centuries
“Four Centuries” playing cards by Esselte Öbergs with court cards depicted as caricatures from different historical periods.
Olsen Smygvänliga
Olsen Spelkort Smygvänliga - Swedish pattern made by F.X. Schmid for Olsen
Offason “Beau”
Offason AB “Beau” playing cards designed by Åke Arenhill from Sweden, c.1990.
Kille
‘Kille’, an old Swedish card game
Vasa Dynasty
The House of Vasa was the royal house of Sweden 1523–1654 and subsequent rulers have emphasized their Vasa descent through a female line
Historical playing cards, 1897
Russian “Historical” playing cards with designs by Nikolay Karazin, 1897
De la Rue for export
Non-standard playing cards produced by De la Rue & Co. (London), c.1930s
Russian “Historical”
Russian “Historical extra fine No.204” Playing Cards depicting Ancient Dynasties, 1920s.
Requiem Playing Cards
This pack has been inspired by the Requiem Mass, a Mass celebrated for the souls of one or more deceased persons. The dark style of illustrations features occult symbols and imagery such as horns, hearts, thorns and skulls and the typography reflects ancient latin scripts.
Salakuljettaja Smugglaren
Salakuljettaja Smugglaren is the Scandinavian version of Pepys’ “Contraband” published by Förlag Bildkonst, 1958.
P. Steinmann
Single-figure provincial Paris pattern cards with traditional names on the courts manufactured in Copenhagen by P. Steinmann, c.1820.
Gnav
cards from an early 'Gnav' game made by C.L.Keiblinger, Copenhagen c.1860
C.L.Keiblinger, Copenhagen 1852-85
C.L.Keiblinger, Copenhagen 1852-85
Jacob Holmblad c.1830
An amazing difference can be seen between the early and the later Jacob Holmblad packs, covering a time span of only 17 years.
Jacob Holmblad, 1820s
The Q♥ has a butterfly net in which she has caught four hearts. Many of Holmblad's designs were replaced or changed in different editions, but this design was not used again.
L. P. Holmblad, c.1845
Holmblad ordered his earlier designs to be re-drawn and updated. Comparison of packs from this era show instances where one figure is replaced by another more imposing version.
Warburg Luxus Bridgekort
“Luxus Bridgekort” was specially designed by Barbara MacDonald in a vibrant Art Deco style for Warburg of Denmark in c.1930, and printed by Universal Playing Card Co. Ltd (England).
Granbergs No.101 Standardkort
Olle Hjortzberg (1872-1959) designed these playing cards for Granbergs AB in c.1924 in ‘Art Nouveau’ style.
Einar Nerman Patience
Einar Nerman (1888–1983) was a talented Swedish artist born in Norrköping who designed playing cards during the 1920s.
Grand Prix Champions
“Grand Prix Champions” printed by Offason.
Holmblads No. 121
Holmblads No. 121 made by John Waddington, England, for Denmark
Playing cards from Finland
Playing cards from Finland. Finnish cards have a relatively short history, presumably because the country only finally broke loose from Russian influence in 1920.
Standard Swedish Pattern
Standard Swedish type playing cards manufactured by J.O. Öberg & Son, Eskilstuna, 1929.
Sweden
Swedish cards have characteristics in common with their Scandinavian neighbours