Breedon Press Ltd

Published July 07, 2014 Updated July 11, 2023

Playing cards advertising Sunspel underwear printed by the Breedon Press Ltd, Nottingham, c.1950

United Kingdom Breedon Press Ltd Advertising

Breedon Press Ltd, Nottingham, c.1958

Playing cards advertising ‘Sunspel Underwear for Men’ printed by the Breedon Press Ltd, Nottingham, c.1958

Sunspel underwear was made in Nottingham from 1860 onwards and it is still in production. The trade name, Sunspel, was used from 1936, and the factory was situated in Long Eaton, Nottinghamshire, for a considerable period of time. Breedon Press must have been a local printer, who produced a high quality imprint, but it is difficult to get any information about the firm. The design of the playing cards is idiosyncratic and not based on anyone else's.

playing cards advertising Sunspel underwear printed by the Breedon Press Ltd, Nottingham, c.1958

Above: playing cards advertising Sunspel underwear printed by the Breedon Press Ltd, Nottingham, c.1958. 52 cards + Joker. The registration dates of the Ace of Spades & joker are believed to show that the pack dates from 1958.

REFERENCES & CREDITS

E.P.C.S., Newsletter: An Interesting Discovery, Vol.6 No.24 May 1989 p.32

Lodge, Ken: The Standard English Pattern (second revised and enlarged edition), Bungay, Suffolk, 2010

Images and text kindly supplied by Ken Lodge.

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By Simon Wintle

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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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