Cía Gral de Fósforos
Compañía General de Fósforos Montevideana, founded in 1893.
Compañía General de Fósforos Montevideana S.A.
Founded 1893
Compañia General de Fósforos Montevideana S.A. was a leading producer of matches in Uruguay. Commencing around 1900 their printing division began producing several brands of Anglo-American and Spanish-style playing cards such as Naipes Angelito and Naipes ‘Victoria’. Naipes ‘Ancla’ and a gaucho themed pack followed. They also produced brands for local casinos. These would have competed with brands being imported from Europe or USA at that time. The design of their standard Spanish-suited cards is the same Catalan style used by their sister company in Argentina, Cía General de Fósforos, S.A►
Two different logos appear on their playing cards over the years.
The company's playing card production was taken over in the 1980s by Ingrapa S.A.►
Above: ‘Victoria' playing cards manufactured in Uruguay by Compañía General de Fósforos Montevideana, c.1955. The company monogram is visible on the lower half of the ace of hearts, whilst the 0.25 cents tax stamp can be seen in the upper half of the same card. See more →
A gaucho themed pack was also produced with this brand name.
Above: Naipes Victoria Gaucho-themed pack manufactured by Compañia General de Fósforos Montevideana, S.A., c.1975. more →
Standard Catalan pattern
Above: 3 cards and the reverse from a 40-card Spanish-suited pack manufactured by Compañía General de Fósforos Montevideana for Supermercados CHIP, c.1979. See more →
Above: Naipes Opacos ‘Ancla’, slightly muted colour palette, 48 cards + 2 jokers in box, manufactured by Cía General de Fósforos Montevideana S.A., c.1980. See more →
Above: 4 cards and reverse from 48-card pack + 2 jokers commemorating the 1980 Copa de Oro Football Championship, manufactured by Compañía General de Fósforos Montevideana. See more →
REFERENCES
Silvera Antúnez, Marcos: Historia de los Naipes en el Uruguay 1724-2015, Ediciónes el Galeón, Montevideo, 2015
By Simon Wintle
Spain • Member since February 01, 1996 • Contact
I am the founder of The World of Playing Cards (est. 1996), a website dedicated to the history, artistry and cultural significance of playing cards and tarot. Over the years I have researched various areas of the subject, acquired and traded collections and contributed as a committee member of the IPCS and graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal. Having lived in Chile, England, Wales, and now Spain, these experiences have shaped my work and passion for playing cards. Amongst my achievements is producing a limited-edition replica of a 17th-century English pack using woodblocks and stencils—a labour of love. Today, the World of Playing Cards is a global collaborative project, with my son Adam serving as the technical driving force behind its development. His innovative efforts have helped shape the site into the thriving hub it is today. You are warmly invited to become a contributor and share your enthusiasm.
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