African Art
“African Art” playing cards by John J. Beckvermit III, 1994.
“African Art” playing cards by John J. Beckvermit III based on African decoration and symbols from different regions, 1994. The pips on the number cards are leopards, masks, textile patterns and crocodiles. See the title card►


Above: “African Art” playing cards by John J. Beckvermit III, published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc., 1994. 55 cards + leaflet. Images courtesy Rex Pitts.


By Rex Pitts (1940-2021)
Member since January 30, 2009
Rex's main interest was in card games, because, he said, they were cheap and easy to get hold of in his early days of collecting. He is well known for his extensive knowledge of Pepys games and his book is on the bookshelves of many.
His other interest was non-standard playing cards. He also had collections of sheet music, music CDs, models of London buses, London Transport timetables and maps and other objects that intrigued him.
Rex had a chequered career at school. He was expelled twice, on one occasion for smoking! Despite this he trained as a radio engineer and worked for the BBC in the World Service.
Later he moved into sales and worked for a firm that made all kinds of packaging, a job he enjoyed until his retirement. He became an expert on boxes and would always investigate those that held his cards. He could always recognize a box made for Pepys, which were the same as those of Alf Cooke’s Universal Playing Card Company, who printed the card games. This interest changed into an ability to make and mend boxes, which he did with great dexterity. He loved this kind of handicraft work.
His dexterity of hand and eye soon led to his making card games of his own design. He spent hours and hours carefully cutting them out and colouring them by hand.
Related Articles

Beowulf
Jackson Robinson's Beowulf playing card deck inspired by the Old English pagan poem.

Keith Haring playing cards
Energetic graffiti images by the American artist Keith Haring.

Mexican ethnic playing cards
Mexican ethnic groups depicted on playing cards by Fábrica de Naipes Cuauhtemoc.

Barok
Dutch pack from the 1950s with colourful Baroque courts, reprinted in 1983.

The Tarot of Meditation – Yeager Tarot
Marty Yeager’s original Tarot of Meditation from 1975, republished later by U.S. Games Systems, Inc....

Adobe Deck
The first digitally-produced deck of cards.

Seminole Wars deck
Seminole Wars deck by J. Y. Humphreys, Philadelphia, c.1819.

Carte di Natale
Designed by Pier Canosa as a Christmas pack for the Cortina Art Gallery in Milan.

The UCR Deck
Giant-size cards designed by Thomas Sanders to advertise courses and facilities at UCR.

Queen of Arts
A wide variety of women artists celebrated on cards with illustrations by Laura Callaghan.

Fredericks & Mae playing cards
A rainbow pack from the design team of Fredericks & Mae and Benjamin English.

The Glasgow Pack
Issued to celebrate Glasgow’s reign as European City of Culture in 1990, with city views and works o...

Red Hat Society playing cards
Society that encourages women in their quest to get the most out of life.

Pam is the Knave of Clubs
Playing cards as metaphors in 18th century art - from fate, chance and social hierarchy t...

Leadmill playing cards
Promotional pack for an arts centre in Sheffield with designs by Martin F. Bedford.

Mountain Dream Tarot
Groundbreaking Tarot created by Bea Nettles, using photographs and photo montage.
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 28 days