Ukrainian playing cards
Ukrainian playing cards (Gral’ni karti ukrains’ki), Kyiv, 2026.
Despite the generic title on the tuck box, this pack is an important contribution to Ukrainian playing card history. The designs of the aces and court cards were originally produced in 1917-1918 by Georgy Narbut (Heorhiy Ivanovych Narbut, 1886-1920). Narbut is known for designing the Ukrainian People's Republic's coat of arms, banknotes, postage stamps, charters, and for his many illustrations in books and magazines. He is often cited as the “Architect of Ukrainian Identity”. In 1917-18 he began creating cards on behalf of the state. Unfortunately, he died in 1920 and the designs were never printed and ended up in private collections. In 1952 the Soviets added his works to the list of those to be destroyed, labelling them as “un-ideological” and “nationalistic”.
This pack, published in 2026 celebrates the 140th anniversary of his birth. Nadia Hart, another graphic artist, has tried to bring his original sketches to life. The Kings are the great Hetmans of the past; the Queens are famous Ukrainian women from history, and the Jacks actually represent Narbut's real-life friends. See the box
Clubs: Ivan Mazepa (King); Raina Mohylylianka-Vyshnevetska Queen); Vladiyslav Lukomskyi (Jack) Diamonds: Vasyl Dunin-Borkovsky (King); Evdokia Zhoravko (Queen); Vadym Modzelevskiy (Jack)
Spades: Petro Sahaidachny (King); a collective image of a Ukrainian woman on a wine crown (Queen); Andriy Storozhenko (Jack) Hearts: Petro Doroshenko (King); Feodosia Paliy (Queen); Narbut himself (Jack)
Above: Ukrainian playing cards (Gral’ni karti ukrains’ki) with designs by Georgy Narbut, Kyiv, 2026.
Part of the profit from sale of this pack goes to the restoration of the National Museum of Ukraine.
For more information about this pack and the courts see youtube.com/watch ►
By Peter Burnett
United Kingdom • Member since July 27, 2022
I graduated in Russian and East European Studies from Birmingham University in 1969. It was as an undergraduate in Moscow in 1968 that I stumbled upon my first 3 packs of “unusual” playing cards which fired my curiosity and thence my life-long interest. I began researching and collecting cards in the early 1970s, since when I’ve acquired over 3,330 packs of non-standard cards, mainly from North America, UK and Western Europe, and of course from Russia and the former communist countries.
Following my retirement from the Bodleian Library in Dec. 2007 I took up a new role as Head of Library Development at the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP) to support library development in low-income countries. This work necessitated regular training visits to many sub-Saharan African countries and also further afield, to Vietnam, Nepal and Bangladesh – all of which provided rich opportunities to further expand my playing card collection.
Since 2019 I’ve been working part-time in the Bodleian Library where I’ve been cataloguing the bequest of the late Donald Welsh, founder of the English Playing Card Society.
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