Simon Wintle
- Spain • 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.
Swiss Album patience
Swiss Album patience cards manufactured by C. L. Wüst (Frankfurt), c.1900, with a different landscape on the reverse of each card. The court cards depict costumed figures along with shields from the cantons.
Lagos del Sur Souvenir
Lagos del Sur Souvenir playing cards published by Gráfica S.A., Buenos Aires, c.1980.
República Española Souvenir
Printed by Hijos de Heraclio Fournier, Vitoria, for the French-speaking tourist market. 52 cards + joker in mock crocodile skin box.
Souvenir Playing Cards
Tourist souvenir playing cards depict the aesthetic, political, social and economic conceptions of the countries to which they belong. They feature beauty spots, local customs, gastronomy, historic ruins or other attractions.
Cía Chilena de Tabacos
Anglo-American style pack issued on behalf of the Cía Chilena de Tabacos, c.1930.
Anonymous manufacturers 2
Argentina has produced a series of anonymous decks, both Spanish-suited and Anglo-American type and children's games.
Hija de B Fournier
Having started out as Fournier Hermanos, Burgos in 1860, the company remained in the Fournier family undergoing several changes of name and finally becoming Hija de B. Fournier sometime around 1900.
John Llewellyn, playing card manufacturer, London, 1778-1785
John Llewellyn, playing card manufacturer, London, 1778-1785
Carreras Ltd Playing Cards and Dominoes, 1929
Carreras Ltd miniature playing cards and dominoes, 1929
Schincariol Beer, Nossagraf, Brazil
Schincariol Cerveja Pilsen brewery playing cards manufactured by Gráfica Nossa Senhora Aparecida Ltda (Nossagraf), Brazil
Brazil
Playing card production in Brazil was officially sanctioned by royal decree in 1770.
Léonard Biermans, Turnhout
Léonard Biermans had been employed by Brepols from 1871-1874 before opening his own playing card factory in 1875.
José Gombau
Deck of half-sized Spanish-suited playing cards in the Maciá pattern produced by José Gombau, Zaragoza, c.1833.
Fenno, Peru
Fenno souvenir playing cards, made in Peru.
Pilsen Trucofest
Pilsen Trucofest playing cards, Uruguay.
A Todos Alumbra
40-card "A Todos Alumbra - Naypes Refinos" pack manufactured by Léonard Biermans, Turnhout, c.1880.
Baraja Taurina by Simeon Durá, c.1916
Baraja Taurina manufactured by Simeon Durá (Valencia) for Chocolate Angelical, first published in 1916.
Eagle Playing Card Co. Limited
Cards from std English pattern printed by The Eagle Playing Card Company Limited, Czechoslovakia, c.1900. The cards are in imitation of American cards, but probably for the UK market.
Richard Wagner
Richard Wagner playing cards designed by Melchior Annen.
Vitrail‒Bridge, 1991
Playing cards inspired by stained glass, designed by Gertrud Kümpel-Amsler, 1991.
Naipes Pokerin by Vigor S.A.C. e I., Buenos Aires, c.1975
Naipes Pokerin playing cards manufactured by Vigor S.A.C. e I., Buenos Aires, c.1975.
Axe Deodorant
Clearly promoting good personal hygiene, each card shows a young female model posing seductively and appealing to the playboy.
Naipes Chinita by Vigor S.R.L.
Naipes Chinita Spanish-suited playing cards manufactured by Vigor S.R.L., Bs Aires, c.1955.
Playing Cards in Cuba
During the colonial years and afterwards, Spanish-suited packs were imported into Cuba.
Naipes Vigor S.R.L.
VIGOR S.R.L (1955 - c1975) manufactured a range of playing cards and card games, including Chinita, La Estrella, Barcelonesa, La Española, Fantasio, Las Rosas, Pokerin, Cartas Gitanas and a Hungarian Seasons pack.
Berkshire Printing Co.
The company was founded in 1908 as the printing division of the Brooke Bond Tea Company in Reading.
Denbro (Denny Brothers)
Denbro (Denny Brothers) c.1975-79
Woodpecker Press Ltd
Woodpecker Press is believed to have started up in 1987 as a spin-off from the closure of Astra Games.
Sanmartí, 1840
Sanmartí, 1840.
Mesmaekers Spanish Pack, c.1875
Mesmaekers Spanish Pack for export to Spanish colonies and South American countries, c.1875
Spanish Cards c.1920
Spanish-suited Playing Cards manufactured by Van Genechten, c.1920.
Hunt & Sons, 1820-1849
Hunt & Sons (1820-1849) was the first maker to modernise the court card designs with a complete re-drawing.
Hunt, 1790-1801
Packs manufactured by Hunt, c.1800.
Dauphiné Pattern - Portrait du Dauphiné
The Dauphiné pattern is an archaic French pattern which was manufactured in the Lyon region from the 17th century.
King Christian of Denmark
In 1935 a souvenir pack of playing cards to celebrate the King's 65th birthday was commissioned from the British firm of De La Rue.
Thomas Creswick
Thomas Creswick was a paper-maker and wholesale stationer. Playing cards were produced from c.1820 onwards.
Miniature Playing Cards
Crudely printed miniature children's packs produced anonymously in c.1920-30.
Gibson & Co., c.1770
Standard English playing cards manufactured by Gibson & Co., c.1770.
Reynolds c.1830
Woodblock and stencil playing cards, produced by Reynolds & Sons c.1830-1850.
Reynolds non-standard
Sometime around c.1850 Reynolds & Sons produced this non-standard or variant pack with courts inspired by Continental designs, based loosely on the French 'Paris' pattern.
Reynolds c.1809-1885
Joseph Reynolds had been producing playing cards in the traditional method since c.1809.
Bancks Brothers
The 'Old Frizzle' Ace of Spades shows the duty paid as one shilling, and the manufacturer's name is engraved at the bottom of the ace.
History of Blackjack
Over the years the origin of Blackjack, like many other games, has eluded researchers for a long time and which continues to be hotly debated to this day.
Naipes Feroleto
Naipes Feroleto is a brand which began appearing in the Argentine market around 2002.
Moorish playing cards
These two uncoloured, uncut sheets of early Moorish playing cards were formerly preserved in the Instituto Municipal de Historia in Barcelona.
Gothic Spanish-suited cards
These cards may be a typical example of early 'standard' Spanish playing cards, maybe from before Columbus sailed for the 'New World' which were imitated by German engravers who wished to export their wares back to Spain.
Fournier Hnos Burgos
In 1860 the Fournier Brothers of Burgos (Spain) commenced producing playing cards. They produced high quality playing cards bearing a portrait of King Charles IV on the ace of coins.
Genoese pattern
The design is purely 'Parisian' but the colouring is green, red, yellow and black. Belgium has taken this pattern for general use.
Taller 4
Spanish-suited playing cards by TALLER 4, Buenos Aires, Argentina, c.2000.
Boisse English pattern
Boisse English pattern, c.1870 based on designs by De La Rue.
Ramses II tarot
Ramses II Tarot deck was published c.1975 in conjunction with a Peruvian occult or esoteric magazine.