Dutch Court playing cards

These multicoloured designs, made by Games & Print Services and marketed under the name of ‘Dutch Court’, are really quite far removed from what we think of as a standard Dutch pattern. Attributes such as swords, sceptres, orbs, flowers and mirrors have been switched around. Most of the courts look in a different direction from normal, notably the QC and JS who look directly at the viewer. This pack carries an advertisement on the back for the Graphic Board Division of the James McNaughton Paper Group.

Above: “Dutch Court” playing cards made by Games & Print Services, Canvey Island, UK, c2000. 52 cards + 2 Jokers + 1 bridge scoring card. Size: 56 x 87 mm.

Above: cards from standard and jumbo index “Dutch Court” packs made by Games & Print Services, Canvey Island, UK, c1998. The Aces of Spades have a © symbol.

Note from Simon Wintle

An earlier version of the “Dutch Court” was produced by Games & Print Services around the mid-1990s which closely follows Dutch pattern designs by Brepols, but with English indices and without scenic aces. These were subsequently replaced with the designs shown above. There is no © symbol on the ace of spades which was added after an attempted copyright infringement, and the jokers are slightly different and have borders.

Above: early “Dutch Court” pack made by Games & Print Services, Canvey Island, UK, c.1997. 52 cards + 2 Jokers + 1 bridge scoring card. The bridge scoring card does not have ‘Made in the UK’ printed at the bottom.