Karl Gerich
Karl Gerich's interest in playing-card production came to the fore while studying at Bath Academy of Art from 1975. Karl produced a unique range of hand-made playing cards during the period 1980-1998.
The Playing Cards of Karl Gerich
Karl Alexander Gerich's interest in playing-card production came to the fore while studying at Bath Academy of Art from 1975. Karl produced a unique range of hand-made playing cards during the period 1980-1998. His designs were inspired by early traditional playing cards, the English pattern and other European designs, packs produced by 19th century European manufacturers (B. Dondorf, Glanz, van Genechten, VSS, Grimaud, Piatnik, etc), resurrected once more by Karl's burin and given a new lease of life. He produced mainly French-suited packs with 32 or 52 cards, and his packs often included exotic pictorial Aces and special Jokers.
Packs were usually numbered somewhere on the Joker, a court card or the box, and the numbering system has been worked out from there, with corrections by Karl. Some packs were untitled / unnumbered*.
Karl worked from his sunny studio flat in St Peter's Terrace, Bath (UK) where he had his own Adana printing press. All his packs were produced from steel or copper plate etchings and hand coloured by himself or his partner Georgina Harvey. They traded as "Victoria Playing Card Co." between 1 May 1989 - 17 December 1990, otherwise Karl traded as himself.
By looking at Gerich’s patterns and designs, like music or poetry, they show where the artist finds beauty… In general Gerich leans towards humanity in his designs, with excellent characterisation to his subjects. He reveals a feeling for natural beauty and artistic rhythmical movement. But the strangest other-worldly creatures also intrude, suggesting the supernatural. We see chimera monsters, mermaids and satyrs, phoenixes, playful lovers and cupids, sea dragons and serpents, the mystique of orientalism, tricksters and jesters... The romance of distant lands finds expression in the exotic blend of Turkish and Hindu fantasies (Patience Indien No.16, Cartes Turques No.18, Ganesh No.35), whilst the theme of sea-borne trade and adventure is again carried further (Four Corners No.10, Milanesi No.13 and Triton No.31). Roman mythology is apparent in the Beautiful Bath No.23 and Aquae Sulis No.32 packs, whilst slightly grotesque gothicism characterises his Four Elements No.3 and Deutche Karten No.9. The opera is the subject of a further two packs (Siegfried No.27, Cosi Fan Tutte).
References:
Copyright:
By Simon Wintle
Member since February 01, 1996
Founder and editor of the World of Playing Cards since 1996. He is a former committee member of the IPCS and was graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal for many years. He has lived at various times in Chile, England and Wales and is currently living in Extremadura, Spain. Simon's first limited edition pack of playing cards was a replica of a seventeenth century traditional English pack, which he produced from woodblocks and stencils.
Related Articles
Woodblock and Stencil Jack of Clubs
A limited edition art print of the Jack of Clubs 1984 woodblock joker.
Woodblock and Stencil Jack of Hearts
A limited edition art print of the Jack of Hearts 1984 woodblock joker.
Woodblock and Stencil King of Diamonds
A limited edition art print of the King of Diamonds 1984 woodblock joker.
Woodblock and Stencil Queen of Clubs
A limited edition art print of the Queen of Clubs 1984 woodblock joker.
Commoners playing cards
Created by Ian Cumpstey dedicated to the common land and the countryside.
Liber Ludorum
Liber Ludorum playing cards created by Ian Cumpstey in the insular style, United Kingdom, 2019.
Pike and Clover playing cards
Pike and Clover playing cards created by Ian Cumpstey, Cumbria, UK, 2018.
Inglewood Hunting Deck
Inglewood Hunting Deck created by Ian Cumpstey, United Kingdom, 2023.
Pin-Ups
A deck of 55 cards celebrating a golden age of cheeky, naughty, bold and curvy ladies in film.
Classic Movie Posters
A deck of 55 cards presenting vintage classic movies and their stars.
That’s Entertainment
A deck of 55 cards celebrating 20th Century vaudeville, musicals and cabaret.
British Monarchs
Commemorating the royal wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales to Lady Diana Spencer on the 29th
Rock & Pop Legends
Stunning photos of a selection of US and UK music artists.
The Beatles • Yellow Submarine
A colourful deck celebrating the 1968 animated feature film based on the Lennon/McCartney song of th...
Paco Lobo
Highly original and striking designs by Paco Lobo for the fashion house of the same name.
Dutch Court playing cards
Games & Print Services’ version of the Dutch pattern.
Past Masters’ Association Presentation Pack
The Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards Past Masters’ Association Presentation Pack, 2013....
The Search for New Games in the late 19th century
A few new games survived and are still around today; most came and went and are only witnessed in th...
Miniature Card Dominoes
A miniature set of Goodall domino cards (5.9 x 3.5 cms) still in perfect condition.
T. Drayton & Son
Bezique and Whist boxed sets by T. Drayton & Son, London, c.1875.
Colour doodle deck
“1952-2002 commemorative deck” customised with doodles by an uncredited artist, UK, 2011.
Jeu Boléro
Sweeping, semi-abstract designs by J.L. Jolin in red and black only.
Knoll International
Geometric designs by the French artist Jean Garçon for Knoll International, the furniture company.
Marcello Morandini
Modern designs by Italian artist Marcello Morandini using the simplest of forms and colours.
Alice in Wonderland: we’re all mad here
Alice in Wonderland themed playing cards, UK, 2020.
Claude Weisbuch
Free reinterpretation of the traditional Paris pattern courts by the artist Claude Weisbuch.
Wren 300 playing cards
Papercuts by Chloe Campbell of the 52 Wren churches in the City of London.
Marlow playing cards
Visitor attractions and businesses to be found in Marlow, Buckinghamshire.
El Niño de las Pinturas
Forty-nine distinctive works by Spanish graffiti artist Raúl Ruiz.
Playing Politics 2010
“Playing Politics ’10: With no expenses spared” featuring caricatures by Oliver Preston, published b...
Playing Politics ’92: Pack of lies
Playing Politics ’92: Pack of lies with caricatures by Grant Robertson, UK.
B-Deck
“B-Deck” scurrilous playing cards poking fun at a former UK prime minister.
Winstanley Geographical cards
Facsimile of Winstanley’s Geographical cards produced by Harold & Virginia Wayland, 1967.
Meal Tub Plot
Meal Tub Plot playing cards [facsimile] with 17th century sketches by Francis Barlow.
Golf playing cards
Golf playing cards published by Marks & Spencer, UK.
Great inventions playing cards
Great inventions playing cards designed by Gary Wyatt, United Kingdom, 2011.
Christmas 1980 playing cards
Festive courts on a Waddingtons pack designed to celebrate Christmas 1980.
Gone to Pot: Gardener’s playing cards
‘Gone to Pot’: special playing cards for keen gardeners, United Kingdom.
The Tarot Strikes Back
Roy Huteson Stewart's The Tarot Strikes Back combines Star Wars with Rider-Waite tarot imagery.
Tottering-by-Gently
‘Tottering-by-Gently’ playing cards with cartoons by Annie Tempest.
Sally Ferries Euro playing cards
Sally Ferries Euro playing cards and phrase pack, United Kingdom.
Don’t come back
“Don’t come back” playing cards produced by Hounslow NHS Primary Care Trust and Feltham Young Offend...
From Empire to Commonwealth
Flags, locations and admission dates of 52 Commonwealth countries.
House of Tudor
Randy Butterfield's House of Tudor playing cards feature detailed art in a high-quality collectible ...