Karl Gerich No.22: “Rouennais”

Karl Gerich’s design No.22, “Rouennais”, was published under the Victoria P.C.C. name in 1990, although the plates had been made a few years earlier. It is based on what is probably the first Rouen pattern, details of which survived into the Liège pattern until c.1900. The kings have crowned indices. All cards are double-ended, including the joker (right) who holds a diagonal staff.

The four aces have different images of a man wearing a jelly-bean hat and an Eastern girl with shawl.

Above: Karl Gerich’s No.22: “Rouennais”, Victoria P.C.C, Bath (UK), 1990. 32 cards + joker. Limited edition of around 5 copies, plus any extra (unnumbered) copies produced privately. Printed on one sheet of Daler Ford cover paper, pasted to a second (coloured) sheet, pressed, coloured and varnished. Images courtesy Paul Symons.

Karl produced his packs by hand and slight variations in the colouring may be found in different versions of the same pack. For example, note the different colour for the diamond suit symbol as well as differences in the colours of the clothing. On occasion, the subsequent printings were on slightly larger card, so you can really see differences with the box being somewhat larger.

Above: from the collection of Barney Townshend.

References and credits

Tregear, Mike and Daphne, "Karl Gerich: Card Designer and Maker", privately published.

Copyright for all images remains the property of the Artist.