Simon Wintle
- Spain • Member since February 01, 1996
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.
Navarra, XVII Century
Facsimile of 17th century Spanish-suited playing cards produced by Erregeak, Sormen S.A., Vitoria-Gasteiz (Álava), Spain, 1988.
Ibero-American Deck, 1929
Ibero-American Deck, designed by L. Palao, 1929.
Shakespeare Playing Cards
Shakespeare Playing Cards pack published in the 1890s with original paintings are by John H. Bacon.
C.W. Faulkner
C. W. Faulkner & Co Ltd, London, an important publisher of games, pictorial souvenirs, children’s books, and postcards.
Cartes Catalanes
Cartes Catalanes are used in a small area in the Eastern Pyrenees region of Southern France.
Bourgeois Tarot
Bourgeois Tarot by Vereinigte Altenburger und Stralsunder Spielkarten-Fabriken.
Copag Baralho Espanhol
Copag Baralho Espanhol / Naipes Español.
Prussian Pattern
Derived from Jagdkarten or Hunting cards with patriotic overtones and rural scenes as vignettes on the numeral cards, the Prussian pattern emerged in the middle of the nineteenth century.
Brazil Scenic Aces
C. L. Wüst Scenic Aces for Brazil.
SOIMCA
SOIMCA - Sociedade Impressora Caxiense - is an important playing card manufacturer in Brazil. It was established by Nelson Soares in Caxias do Sul, in the south of Brazil, by 1955.
Ecuador Turistico
Naipe Mi Ecuador Turístico souvenir playing cards
Ciudad de Quito
Pack of souvenir playing cards made in Quito, Ecuador, featuring black & white photographs depicting Ecuador as one of the great nations on Earth
The Big Deal
In ‘Patia Te Pere - The Big Deal’, Joan Gragg presents a first edition series of 1000 decks in which the characters, themes and patterns from traditional playing cards are replaced by Cook Islands cultural, environmental and societal icons.
Master PW Circular Cards
Master PW Circular Playing Cards: roses, columbines, carnations, parrots and hares... everyday objects evoking life and fertility.
Rotxotxo Workshop Inventories
Rotxotxo Workshop Inventories, Barcelona, 1660-1800.
Playing Cards in Singapore
Playing Cards in Singapore, one of the Four Asian Tigers.
Anonymous
Anonymous Moroccan Playing Cards for Royal Air Maroc airlines and others...
Chaudsoleil Wine
Chaudsoleil Red Wine advertising playing cards from Morocco.
Manufacture of Playing Cards
Traditionally cardmakers worked in guilds with long apprenticeships under master craftsmen.
Guatemala
Playing Cards from Guatemala
Mayan Cards
Mayan Playing Cards from Guatemala / Baraja Maya / containing illustrations of archaeology, art, folklore, history and mythology of the Mayans.
Amos Whitney Inventory
Amos Whitney Factory Inventory. What it was like inside an 18th century playing card factory...
Buena Suerte Cartomancy
Buena Suerte Cartomancy cards published by Difusora S.A., Argentina, c.1975
Buena Suerte Cartomancy leaflet
Buena Suerte Cartomancy leaflet.
Privātā
The editors of “Privātā Dzīve” magazine conceived the idea for this new pack, which was designed by artist Lidmila Bulikina and printed by LGL Stils, Ltd in June 2001.
Karlis Krauze
Latvian Patience Cards designed by Karlis Krauze, mid 1930s
Lenormand Cartomancy
Mlle Lenormand Cartomancy deck made by Vereinigte Stralsunder Spielkartenfabriken, Stralsund, c.1890.
Cartes Questions-Devinettes
A “Questions & Answers” family game from France produced by Imagerie Pellerin.
Málaga Costa del Sol playing cards
Málaga Costa del Sol souvenir playing cards published by Otermin Ediciones.
S.S. France playing cards
A special non-standard pack of playing cards was designed by M. Marie for the maiden voyage of the transatlantic liner S.S. France in 1962.
Livre du Destin
Livre du Destin / The Book of Fate, c.1900, entire deck (32 cards)
Livre du Destin
Livre du Destin or Book of Fate, printed by B.P.Grimaud, Paris, c.1900.
Gibraltar
Playing Cards in Gibraltar.
Secondary Uses of Playing Cards
The unprinted backs of playing cards have led people to use them for secondary purposes such as memorandum slips, bibliographic index cards, for declarations of love, rendezvous notes, emergency money, visiting cards and so on.
Chromolithography
Colour lithography was invented in 1798 by a Bavarian actor and playwright named Alois Senefelder (1771-1834). It is based on the principle that oil and water do not mix.
Printing of Playing Cards: Stencilling
Printing of Playing Cards :: Stencilling can usually be detected by observing the outlines of the coloured areas which are often irregular with brush strokes discernible in the coloured areas.
Paper and Cardboard
The manufacture of the pasteboard used for playing cards contains a number of interesting processes including mingling, pasting and drying.
Printing of Playing Cards: Letterpress
Some notes on the manufacture of playing cards taken from Thomas De la Rue's patent, 1831.
Pneumatic Playing Cards
The surface of the cards was slightly grooved by being rolled on prepared plates, so that there were little pockets of air between each card, which prevented them sticking together.
Animal Grab
Animal Grab card game by Thomas De La Rue & Co., 110 Bunhill Row, London..
Games Leaflets
Thos De la Rue & Co. & Gibson's Games Leaflets.
Bertrand Domec page 6
Playing Cards imported into Argentina by Casa Bertrand Domec de Fagoaga y Fernández (Sucesores) Bs. As., c.1935-50.
Fournier No. 55
Naipes Intransparentes de Una Hoja No.55 made by Hijos de Heraclio Fournier (Vitoria) for exportation to Argentina, c.1940.
Poker No. 140
Dondorf Poker-Karte No. 195, re-issued as Poker No. 140 for the "Argentina Compañia General de Navegación Sociedad Anónima", 1920s
Dondorf
The luxury playing card factory founded in Frankfurt am Main by Bernhard Dondorf in 1833 existed for 100 years.
Dengue
Dengue prevention playing cards. Juego de 40 Naipes. Material para la prevención del Dengue, Ministerio de Salud de la Nación (Argentina).
Jack of all Trades
Jack of all Trades card game.
Kay Snap
Kay Snap Children's Card Game, made in England, 1930s.
Children's Card Games
Children's games are distinct from ordinary playing cards, the most obvious difference being the lack of court cards or suit marks. Happy Families, Old Maid and Snap may teach children about taking turns, following rules, and sharing. These games can also reflect gender norms and stereotypes, often ...
Dartex
Dartex, the Thrilling New Card Game of Skill (1938) based on the traditional pub game where darts are thrown at a circular target.