Rare Religious 1981 Card Game – Les Saints Patrons des Corporations, Symbolism of the saints

This very rare French card deck, produced in 1981, is themed around medieval religious artwork and the traditional patron saints of professions and guilds. More than a playing card deck, it was conceived as both an educational and cultural tool, blending sacred iconography with structured reference content.

Each figure card depicts a saint associated with a specific profession or social role, while the deck includes lexicon / glossary cards listing trades and their corresponding patron saints. The two Jokers are integral to the symbolic structure of the deck and complete its instructional purpose.

🔹 Title: Les Saints – Patrons des Corporations et Protecteurs
🔹 Year: 1981
🔹 Theme: Medieval religious art & patron saints of trades
🔹 Content: Illustrated saint cards + glossary / lexicon cards
🔹 Educational system: Professions mapped to their protective saints
🔹 Jokers: 2, included for symbolic and educational use
🔹 Artwork: Medieval-inspired illustrations with vibrant traditional coloring
🔹 Material: Standard cardstock with decorative blue backs
🔹 Box dimensions: approx. 13.5 × 9.5 cm
🔹 Condition: Very good overall; box and cards well preserved for age

A fascinating and uncommon deck appealing to collectors of religious iconography, educational card games, medieval art, and French cultural history.

🪶 Collector’s Note
This deck stands out as a rare late-20th-century revival of medieval symbolic teaching through cards. By associating saints with professions, it preserves a centuries-old tradition once common in guild culture and popular devotion. Complete examples with box and glossary cards are increasingly difficult to find, making this set especially desirable for collectors of unusual thematic decks and historical teaching tools.