Tô Tôm №1204
Tô Tôm is played with a 120-card Chinese-style deck.
Tô Tôm №1204 cards manufactured by A. Camoin & Cie, Marseille, for French colonies. Tô Tôm is played with a 120-card Chinese-style deck and is derived from the Chinese game of Khanhoo. The head and foot of each card gives the rank and suit in Chinese characters.
Above: Tô Tôm cards manufactured by A. Camoin & Cie, Marseille, c.1900. During French colonial rule, the Marseilles firm Camoin redesigned the deck to depict people wearing traditional Japanese costumes from the Edo period. Images courtesy Ruth Mancino.
One of the most intriguing aspects of Vietnamese Tô Tôm playing cards is their cultural heritage and unique design. These cards are part of Vietnam's traditional games and reflect a blend of Chinese and Japanese influences. Historically, Tô Tôm cards were popular among the upper class and were considered an elegant game requiring intelligence and strategy
Above: Chinese card game used at Haï-Phong, manufactured by Camoin (Marseille) c.1870. Woodcut in red and black; 8.3 x 2.3 cm; orange backs. Source gallica.bnf.fr / Bibliothèque nationale de France • Jeu de cartes chinois employé à Haï-Phong►
Further References
Bibliothèque nationale de France: Jeu de cartes chinois employé à Haï-Phong►
Wikipedia: Tổ tôm►
Above: Vietnamese card players, 1904.
By Simon Wintle
Member since February 01, 1996
Founder and editor of the World of Playing Cards since 1996. He is a former committee member of the IPCS and was graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal for many years. He has lived at various times in Chile, England and Wales and is currently living in Extremadura, Spain. Simon's first limited edition pack of playing cards was a replica of a seventeenth century traditional English pack, which he produced from woodblocks and stencils.
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