A Gardener’s Labyrinth
Photographs of flowers, herbs and vegetables by leading photographer Tessa Traeger.
Tessa Traeger (b.1938) is an outstanding still life photographer who has exhibited in Paris, London, Hamburg and New York. She was commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) in London to photograph important British horticulturalists for its collection. This little-known pack issued by the NPG features some of her photographs of flowers, herbs, vegetables and garden statuary. The extra card acts as a key card, giving the names of all the plants and some of the locations (e.g., Hampton Court, Sissinghurst, Cawdor Castle, etc.). The back design is a close-up shot of some white birch bark. See the box►
Above: A Gardener’s Labyrinth playing cards with photography by Tessa Traeger,published by the National Portrait Gallery, London, 2003. Probably printed by Carta Mundi. 52 cards + 2 Jokers + 1 extra card in tuck box. Size: 63 x 88 mm. © Tessa Traeger, 2003
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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