Swiss French Suited Playing Cards, c.1840
French-suited playing-cards in the Paris pattern appeared in Switzerland around the end of the sixteenth century, when many Lyonnais cardmakers were driven away by heavy taxes.
Swiss French Suited Playing Cards, c.1840
French-suited playing-cards appeared in Switzerland around the end of the sixteenth century, when many Lyonnais cardmakers were driven away by heavy taxes. The example shown here, printed from woodblocks and hand-coloured with stencils, was manufactured by J. Müller, Diessenhofen, c.1840. For some time, the cantons of Switzerland had their own tax regulations, including tax stamps for playing-cards. The example shown here is a tax stamp from the Canton of St Gallen.
Left: enlargement of tax stamp on the ace of diamonds. For further details about Swiss tax stamps, see the website of Peter Endebrock►
By Simon Wintle
Spain • Member since February 01, 1996
I am the founder of The World of Playing Cards (est. 1996), a website dedicated to the history, artistry and cultural significance of playing cards and tarot. Over the years I have researched various areas of the subject, acquired and traded collections and contributed as a committee member of the IPCS and graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal. Having lived in Chile, England, Wales, and now Spain, these experiences have shaped my work and passion for playing cards. Amongst my achievements is producing a limited-edition replica of a 17th-century English pack using woodblocks and stencils—a labour of love. Today, the World of Playing Cards is a global collaborative project, with my son Adam serving as the technical driving force behind its development. His innovative efforts have helped shape the site into the thriving hub it is today. You are warmly invited to become a contributor and share your enthusiasm.
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