Calaveras De Azúcar
Calaveras De Azúcar playing cards produced by Natalia Silva, USA, 2017.
At first sight Calaveras De Azúcar is not dissimilar to Russian folk art – both packs having been produced by Natalia Silva and printed by the USPCC. Both feature colourful images against a black background, with the traditional black suits coloured yellow. But this pack is inspired by the Day of the Dead Celebration – a Mexican holiday, celebrated on the 1st and 2nd November.
The word “Calavera” means skull in Spanish. “Calavera De Azúcar” is a skull made out of sugar, which is used to decorate Day of the Dead altars. These sugar skulls are happy, colourful and whimsical, rather than scary. The reason for this is because they are meant to capture the joy and spirit of their deceased loved ones.
The court cards depict the skulls with musical instruments, hats and flowers, with particular symbolism in the decoration around the eyes - flowers symbolizing life, and cobwebs symbolizing death. The skulls are designed to be bright and cheerful, being a celebration of the life that once was. The Jokers take a similar approach, although with a character all their own. Amazing skull designs are depicted on the card backs and on the case ►
Above: Calaveras De Azúcar playing cards produced by Natalia Silva, USA, 2017.
The pack was produced in different coloured editions. Black and Blue packs in 1500 copies (Black is shown here), Purple in 500 copies, Green in 100 copies and Red in a mere 13 copies.
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.
Activity for Calaveras De Azúcar
Sign in to comment or save this article.
Related Articles
Junior Playing Cards
Child-friendly versions of standard English pattern cards designed by Louie Mantia, Jr.
Russian folk art playing cards
Russian folk art playing cards produced by Natalia Silva, USA, 2017.
New York City souvenir
New York City souvenir playing cards with 53 different views of interest, USA, 1915.
Nile Fortune cards
Nile Fortune cards no.68x published by the United States Playing Card Company, USA, 1904.
Bicycle Stained glass playing cards
Bicycle Stained glass playing cards adorned as multi-coloured stained glass, USA, c. 2018.
Playboy playing cards
52 different magazine covers from the first 50 years of Playboy.
Virginia Slims
Tasteful advertising pack promoting Virginia Slims cigarettes.
Hawaiian Souvenir playing cards
Hawaiian Souvenir playing cards, 1901.
Bicycle Heritage
Bicycle Heritage playing cards by the United States Playing Card Company, 2012
Dragons Playing Cards by Robert Burke
A gorgeous deck of cards featuring the dragon art of Kerem Beyit and printed by the United States Pl...
Lumberjacks
A preview of Vadim Smolenskiy second edition Lumberjacks deck.
35: More Design Copies
Here I want to take another widely copied design and see how individual variation by the copier can ...
The Black Book of Cards
The Black Book of Cards by UnCommon Beat
No.500 Playing Cards
No.500 Playing Cards published by U.S.P.C.C., c.1910
Stage Playing Cards, 1908
This beautiful deck features an oval half-tone photo of a theatre star on each card, many of them le...
Norwood #85, c.1909
The deck features a colourful Ace of Spades and Joker, decorated Aces, unique courts and two beautif...
Congress No.606
Congress Playing Cards were first produced by the Russell & Morgan Company in 1881 as the finest and...
Bicycle No.808
The famous Bicycle playing cards were first introduced by Russell & Morgan Printing Co in 1885. More...
The United States Playing Card Company
Over the years the pressures of competition and other market forces have led to many smaller manufac...
Naipes No. 71 Los Leones
Naipes No. 71 Los Leones by The United States Playing Card Co., c.1900.
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 60 days
