Tavaglione playing cards
Well-designed pack by Giorgio Tavaglione, with courts in medieval costume.
There is something intrinsically pleasing about these non-standard designs by Giorgio Tavaglione. The double-ended courts are in medieval costume, yet they retain many recognisable attributes (flowers, feathers, pikes, staffs, etc.) found in Anglo-American packs. Even the King of Hearts holds up a sword which runs behind, rather than through, his head. The maker’s name and the date are on the Ace of Spades. The reversible back design is equally attractive. Tavaglione has designed other packs which are listed below.
Above: Tavaglione playing cards printed and published by AGMüller, Neuhausen am Rheinfall, Switzerland, 1985. 52 cards + 3 Jokers in tuck box. Size: 58.5 x 89 mm. © AGM 1985
Reference
Fournier Museum Catalogue, Vol. 3, Switzerland 193/4.
Other packs by the same artist:
- I Tarocchi delle Stelle
- L’Oracolo della Sibilla
- Stairs of Gold Tarot
- Tarocco Enoil Gavat (A.S.S., 1978)
- I Tarocchi de Astrologo (SIAD Edizioni, 1981 - set of major arcana published over 5 issues of the magazine l'astrologo)
This is another of my all-time favourite modern packs, probably because it is colourful, non-standard and yet not difficult to play with. It always sold well in my shop to card players looking for something just that little bit different. Unfortunately, I don't have any single boxes - they were rather nondescript and basically either maroon or dark blue. David Westnedge also sold them in double boxes but these were his standard (generic) double boxes. RS
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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