Turkey

Once the centre of the Ottoman Empire, the modern secular republic was established in the 1920s by nationalist leader Kemal Ataturk. This amounted to a repudiation of the former Ottoman legacy with the fez and veil outlawed and rights given to women.

Playing cards were not common during the Ottoman Empire due to religious reasons, and there are hardly any examples of 19th-century playing cards being imported. In a recent ordinance regarding the same type of card, Turkey imposed a 1984 law stipulating that cards had to be sold in hospitals and pharmacies. The profit from the sale went to the Turkish Red Crescent, the counterpart of the Red Cross.

However, in more recent years the government has reverted to culturally conservative and authoritarian politics, whilst remaining open to trade and economic development.

Above: Artex A/30 brand for Turkey, 1980s, made by Játékkártyagyár és Nyomda, Budapest   more →

Above: Souvenir of Turkey by KS Games   more →

Above: Whimsical Playing Cards designed by Oksal Yesilok, 2016   more →