A beautiful and authentic French 32-card playing deck dating to circa 1890, bearing the distinctive "République Française – Décret du 12 Avril 1890" tax stamp on the Ace of Clubs. This official fiscal marking places the deck among the classic French playing cards produced during the Belle Époque.

The deck is accompanied by a charming vintage red leather pocket case, dating from approximately the 1940s–1950s. Although not original to the cards, it provides elegant storage and complements the deck beautifully.

Features

🔹 Authentic French playing cards
🔹 Published circa 1890
🔹 Official République Française – Décret du 12 Avril 1890 tax stamp
🔹 Complete 32-card deck + 1 Jocker
🔹 Card size: approximately 9 × 6 cm (3.5 × 2.4 in.)
🔹 Vintage red leather pocket case (1940s–1950s, not original to the deck)

Condition

The cards remain in excellent antique condition, with crisp stock, light age toning, and gentle wear consistent with more than 130 years of age.

The red leather case shows attractive vintage wear with minor scuffs and rubbing, adding to its character while remaining sturdy and fully functional.

🪶 Collector's Note

French playing cards bearing the 1890 République Française tax stamp are highly collectible historical artifacts from the Belle Époque. Combined with a period leather pocket case, this set makes an elegant display piece for collectors of antique playing cards, French ephemera, and nineteenth-century gaming accessories.

Discover this beautiful antique B.P. Grimaud No. 90 Poker playing card deck, complete with its 32-card Piquet deck, the original Grimaud tuck box, and its rare A. Legris, Rouen advertising sleeve. This complete ensemble is a wonderful example of the quality and craftsmanship that made B.P. Grimaud France's most prestigious playing card manufacturer.

The deck features the classic Scottish plaid ("Écossais") card backs and the premium "Tranches Aluminium" finish, an innovative Grimaud process in which the card edges were coated with aluminum to improve durability and protect them from everyday wear.

Several cards retain the original French "Timbre Fiscal du Jeu" tax stamp bearing the inscription "Décret du 12 Avril 1890". This refers to the French gaming tax regulations introduced by the decree of April 12, 1890, and confirms the deck as an officially taxed French playing card set produced after that legislation.

The original retailer's sleeve advertises A. Legris, a merchant in Rouen specializing in glassware, porcelain, playing cards, dominoes, and supplies for cafés, bars, restaurants, and hotels. These personalized advertising sleeves were commonly discarded after purchase, making surviving examples increasingly difficult to find.

🔹 Original B.P. Grimaud No. 90 Poker playing cards
🔹 Complete 32-card Piquet deck
🔹 Original Grimaud tuck box included
🔹 Original A. Legris – Rouen advertising sleeve
🔹 Premium "Tranches Aluminium" (aluminum-edged) finish
🔹 Original French "Timbre Fiscal du Jeu" tax stamp ("Décret du 12 Avril 1890")
🔹 Scottish plaid ("Écossais") card backs
🔹 Manufactured in France, circa 1930s–1950s

Condition: The deck remains in very good vintage condition. The cards are complete and display bright colors with only light handling wear. The original Grimaud tuck box and the advertising sleeve remain present and solid, showing expected edge wear, rubbing, and small tears consistent with age. Please examine all photographs carefully for the exact condition.

🪶 Collector's Note

Founded in 1848, B.P. Grimaud became the leading French manufacturer of playing cards, renowned for exceptional print quality and constant innovation. Among its premium products was the No. 90 Poker – Tranches Aluminium, whose aluminum-coated edges offered increased resistance to moisture and handling while giving the deck a refined appearance.

This complete deck still bears its original French "Timbre Fiscal du Jeu" tax stamp, referencing the Decree of April 12, 1890, which governed the taxation of playing cards sold in France. Although the decree dates from 1890, the design of the box, the aluminum-edge finish, and the retailer's advertising indicate a production period of approximately 1930–1950.

Even more desirable is the survival of the original advertising sleeve from A. Legris of Rouen, a merchant supplying cafés, hotels, restaurants, and gaming establishments. Such retailer wrappers were usually discarded, making complete examples like this increasingly scarce and highly appreciated by collectors of French playing cards and advertising memorabilia.

Discover this charming late 19th-century French playing card deck, preserved inside a vintage Pastilles Richelet advertising tin. Although the tin was not originally produced for the cards, it has served as a protective storage case for many decades, creating an attractive period pairing rich in character and history.

The deck features traditional French-suited playing cards with beautifully illustrated court cards and an elegant geometric blue back design. 

🔹 Estimated date: circa 1890–1905
🔹 Traditional French-suited playing cards
🔹 Includes a vintage Pastilles Richelet advertising tin used as a period storage case
🔹 Original lithographed pharmacy advertising tin
🔹 Wonderful display piece for collectors of antique games and French advertising

Condition: The playing cards show honest wear from decades of use, including surface soiling, age toning, edge wear, and scattered stains. The Richelet tin displays scratches, oxidation, paint loss, and other age-related wear consistent with long-term use. The tin is a vintage storage container and was not originally issued with this deck. Please examine all photographs carefully for the exact condition.

🪶 Collector's Note

This antique French playing card deck dates to the late 19th century, as evidenced by the original French "Timbre Fiscal du Jeu" tax stamp featuring Marianne, a fiscal mark applied to playing cards sold in France during that period. These tax stamps are valuable dating clues and provide an authentic connection to the history of French card manufacturing.

At some point during its long life, the deck was stored inside a Pastilles Richelet tin, a famous French pharmacy product marketed for sore throats, coughs, bronchitis, and other respiratory ailments. Although the tin was not originally made for the cards, it became a practical and durable storage container, preserving the deck while creating a charming period ensemble. 

Originally published in Tübingen, Germany, in 1805 by publisher J.G. Cotta, this remarkable deck transforms the suit symbols into intricate narrative scenes. The designs are attributed to Countess von Jenison-Walworth, making this one of the earliest known transformation decks created by a female artist.

This 2013 reproduction by Éditions Atlas faithfully recreates the rare original preserved in the prestigious Kharbine-Tapabor Collection in Paris. The deck is particularly notable for its elegant neoclassical style and its inclusion of Joan of Arc, alongside historical, allegorical, and domestic scenes characteristic of early nineteenth-century European card art.

🔹 Reproduction published by Éditions Atlas in 2013
🔹 Based on the rare 1805 Tübingen edition
🔹 Artwork attributed to Countess von Jenison-Walworth
🔹 Standard 52-card deck(complete)
🔹 Card size: approximately 10.5 × 7 cm
🔹 French publication

Condition

🔹 Cards are in excellent condition
🔹 Box present with light wear and minor corner wear from storage
🔹 Clean, bright cards with sharp printing

🪶 Collector's Note

Long before modern artistic playing cards became fashionable, the creators of transformation decks were turning ordinary card symbols into miniature works of art. Instead of simply placing pips on a card, artists cleverly integrated them into scenes of daily life, mythology, literature, and history.

The 1805 Cotta deck is considered one of the masterpieces of the genre and occupies a special place in playing-card history. Surviving originals are exceptionally scarce, with examples known from major collections such as the Kharbine-Tapabor Collection in Paris and the Fournier Museum in Spain.

The elegant engraving style, subtle hand-colored appearance, and historical figures such as Joan of Arc make this deck especially desirable for collectors of antique playing cards, transformation decks, and early nineteenth-century graphic art.

A beautiful reproduction of a deck that most collectors will never encounter in its original form.

A rare small deck of French playing cards bearing the official tax stamp “République Française – Décret du 12 Avril 1890”, marking it as an authentic 19th-century production.
These pocket-sized cards were created during the Belle Époque, when card games were a fashionable pastime in Parisian cafés and salons.

Each card displays the classic French design with the symbolic trefoil (clover) emblem, and the court cards depict the traditional figures Argine, Judith, and David in vibrant early-industrial color lithography.
The reverse features a refined red, blue, and white mosaic pattern, typical of late 19th-century French printing.

Comes with a blue snap-case in textured plastic — a delightful relic of the 1940s–1950s era of compact leisure accessories.

Details

🔹 Origin: France
🔹 Mark: République Française – Décret du 12 Avril 1890
🔹 Era: circa 1890
🔹 Contents: Complete 32-card deck
🔹 Card size: approx. 9 × 6 cm
🔹 Box: Blue snap-case (1940s–1950s period)
🔹 Condition: Excellent antique condition – light aging consistent with age, cards crisp and clean

🪶 Collector’s Note

A genuine artifact from fin-de-siècle France, this miniature deck embodies the craftsmanship and elegance of an era when even the smallest objects were works of art.
Bearing the historical 1890 tax seal, it represents the transition between artisanal and industrial card-making, offering a rare glimpse into the golden age of French leisure culture.
An exquisite addition for collectors of antique playing cards, Belle Époque design, or French historical ephemera.

Rare and charming antique Tarot deck attributed to J. Muller & Cie, Switzerland, dated approximately 1880–1910. This exceptional tarot-style deck includes 78 cards, each richly illustrated with narrative vignettes and classic French-suited court cards (hearts, spades, diamonds, clubs). The cards show beautiful age patina, printed in the tradition of chromolithography, with iconic storytelling scenes often seen in late 19th-century cartomancy.

The set is housed in a handmade wooden treasure box, crafted with meticulous detail:
Velvet-lined interior in red
Butterfly-shaped vintage lock with chain and brass padlock + key
Secret compartment
Comes with a polished protective stone (black tiger’s eye)

This is a unique collector's piece for any lover of vintage cartomancy, fortune-telling tools, or tarot history. A true artifact of European esoteric tradition, enhanced with a beautifully designed modern display box that protects and elevates its mystical charm.

🔸 Contents:
78 antique cards (some wear and signs of age, as pictured)
Handmade custom wood box with lock, chain, key, and velvet inlay
Black stone included
Dimensions: standard card size ~6x9 cm (approx.)

⚠️ Note: Some cards show edge damage, consistent with age and use(see cards on the picture).
The deck remains complete and highly evocative.