The best-known “fantasies” with playing cards are the famous Transformation Cards. These ingenious creations integrate the standard suit symbols into imaginative illustrations, a pastime that became popular about 200 years ago and a true test of artistic skill.

This lot includes:

🔹 Deck 1: Jeu de Cotta – Cartes de Fantaisie (1984, France-Cartes / Grimaud)
Reproduction of the earliest transformation deck first published in 1804.
52 cards + 2 Jokers, standard size, mint condition.
Box in excellent condition, almost like new.

🔹 Deck 2: Jeu Gerente (c.1983, Grimaud / Moncar)
Based on woodcut images designed by Alfred Gerente in the 19th century for stained glass windows.
Back design: Amiens Cathedral labyrinth.
52 cards + 2 Jokers + 1 explanatory card.
Size: 88 × 62 mm, printed on unfinished stock with square corners.
Mint condition, original box excellent.

🔹 Book: Transformation Playing Cards by Albert Field (U.S. Games Systems, 1987)
208 pages, paperback, in English.
An essential reference on the history and artistry of transformation decks.

A rare opportunity to obtain two historical reproduction decks together with the definitive reference book—perfect for collectors of playing cards, historians, and lovers of transformation art.

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A rare and historically important reproduction of the Mamluk Playing Cards, considered the direct ancestors of modern European playing cards and the tarot.
The original 15th-century cards were discovered at the Topkapi Museum in Istanbul by L. A. Mayer, whose 1939 study became the foundation for this remarkable facsimile edition.

Published in 1972 by Aurelia Books (Brussels and Louvain) and printed by Carta Mundi, this deluxe edition was limited to 750 numbered copies.
This one is No. 178.

The set includes:
– Complete deck of 56 richly ornamented cards (2.25 × 3.3 in / 58 × 86 mm)
– 62-page booklet on the history of Arabic and European playing cards
– Elegant black leatherette presentation box with gold titles

A cornerstone piece for collectors of early playing cards, Islamic art, and tarot history — the bridge between East and West.

🔹 Publisher: Aurelia Books / Carta Mundi (Belgium, 1972)
🔹 Limited Edition of 750 – No. 178
🔹 Condition: Excellent – box with light shelf wear consistent with age

🪶 Collector’s Note

The Mulūk Wanuwwāb deck stands among the most historically significant reproductions ever printed.
Derived from the 15th-century Mamluk cards of Cairo, this set represents the direct ancestors of European playing cards and the earliest foundations of tarot symbolism.

The ornate geometric and floral designs echo the refinement of Islamic manuscript art, while their structure — cups, swords, coins, and polo sticks — later evolved into the suits of European decks.
This 1972 Aurelia Books edition, produced by Carta Mundi in only 750 numbered copies, is prized by collectors as both an object of beauty and a landmark in the history of divination.

A rare fusion of art, history, and mysticism — the moment where the East gave birth to the Tarot.

Step into Paris through the eyes of its greatest painters with this beautiful vintage 54-card deck, “Paris et sa région vus par les peintres.”

From Delacroix's La Liberté guidant le peuple to Toulouse-Lautrec, Brayer, Lamy, and more, this deck captures landmarks such as the Bastille, Montmartre, the Moulin Rouge, the Château de Pierrefonds, and historic portraits of French royalty.

Each of the 54 cards features a masterpiece by a celebrated painter, paired with its museum location or historical context — turning every shuffle into a mini-art gallery.

A delightful collectible for lovers of Paris, art history, and illustrated playing cards.

🔹 Title: Paris et sa Région vus par les Peintres – Vintage Art Playing Cards
🔹 Publisher: Unknown (French production)
🔹 Contents: 54 illustrated cards
🔹 Theme: Paintings of Paris & surrounding region
🔹 Card Size: 6.3 × 8.7 cm
🔹 Language: French
🔹 Box Condition: Signs of age & storage wear as pictured
🔹 Card Condition: Very good

🪶 Collector’s Note
This deck is a beautiful time capsule of Parisian heritage. From Delacroix to Toulouse-Lautrec, each card captures a famous scene or monument as interpreted by master painters. Decks from this series rarely appear complete and in such good condition, making this a wonderful addition for collectors of French art-themed cards.

🔹 Manufacturer: Angel Playing Cards Co., Japan
🔹 Deck name: Secret 52
🔹 Era: 1970s
🔹 Composition: 52 standard cards + 2 Jokers
🔹 Size: 9 × 4 cm (mini deck format)
🔹 Back design: Two green apples motif
🔹 Condition: Cards LIKE NEW – crisp, clean, and unplayed.
⚠️ Box shows light wear due to age and storage (see photos).

🪶 Collector’s Note

A charming and rare miniature deck by Angel Playing Cards Co., one of Japan’s most respected card manufacturers.
The Secret 52 deck stands out for its elongated rectangular format and its whimsical, colorful illustrations, a perfect blend of 1970s Japanese pop style and elegant European influences.
Each court card is a tiny piece of art — vibrant, playful, and distinctly stylized — while the minimalist apple design on the card backs gives the deck a fresh and modern feel.

These compact decks were often produced in limited promotional runs, making surviving examples quite rare and collectible, especially in this excellent condition.

This magnificent double deck of playing cards was published in the United Kingdom by Waddingtons, one of the most renowned card manufacturers of the 20th century. Founded in the 19th century, Waddingtons was a major producer of playing cards and games in the UK from 1922 to 1995.

This set includes two complete decks, each featuring elegant Wedgwood-inspired designs on the card backs, with refined neoclassical motifs in contrasting blue and green tones. The cards handle beautifully and shuffle smoothly, making this set suitable both for play and for display.

🔸 Includes two full decks of cards
🔸 Smooth, high-quality card stock – cards slide easily when mixed
🔸 Classic British playing card format
🔸 Elegant Wedgwood-style artwork
🔸 Original Waddingtons box included

Card size:
🔸 5.8 × 8.8 cm
🔸 2¼" × 3½" (standard poker size)

Condition:
🔸 Cards in very good condition
🔸 Box in good vintage condition, showing light wear consistent with age

🪶 Collector’s Note
Double-deck Waddingtons sets with matching Wedgwood-style designs are increasingly difficult to find, especially complete and well preserved. This set represents a fine example of British card craftsmanship and design, appealing equally to collectors of vintage playing cards, Wedgwood enthusiasts, and lovers of classic game history.

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.

Vintage 1970s "Chansons à Boire" Card Game – Vins Carrousel

Step back into the jovial spirit of the 1970s with this rare French advertising card game, created to promote Vins Carrousel. This complete 33-card deck features lively illustrations on the front and the full lyrics of traditional and bawdy French drinking songs on the reverse. Perfect for collectors of vintage games, lovers of French culture, or anyone who enjoys a touch of cheeky humor with their wine.

Publisher: Vins Carrousel (Advertising deck)
Era: 1970s
Theme: French drinking songs (chansons à boire)
Cards: 33 (complete) – each card numbered with song title & colorful illustration on one side, lyrics and game instructions on the other
Card size: 11.5 × 7.5 cm
Condition: Cards in excellent, near mint condition; box shows some wear from storage (as pictured)
Language: French
Packaging: Original box included (slightly worn)

A nostalgic and fun collectible — perfect for display, conversation, or even singing along with friends over a good bottle of wine!

A rare and satirical collectible deck published in Italy in 1993 by the newspaper Cuore, known for its witty and irreverent cultural humor.
Titled Le Allegre Vite dei Santi (“The Merry Lives of the Saints”), this poker-sized deck presents 54 vividly illustrated cards — including Catholic saints, angels, and devotional imagery, rendered in a bright and naïve vintage style.

Despite its devotional imagery, the set was produced with a touch of humor, in line with the satirical tone of Cuore magazine — making it both a religious curiosity and a pop-culture collectible of early 1990s Italy.

🔹 Publisher: Cuore (Italy)
🔹 Year: 1993
🔹 Complete: 54 cards (including 2 Jokers)
🔹 Size: 3½ × 2½ in (approx. 88 × 63 mm)
🔹 Language: Italian
🔹 Condition: 2 cards show minor marks consistent with box wear; rest in good condition; box visibly worn as pictured

🪶 Collector’s Note

This unusual Italian deck stands at the crossroads between religious iconography and post-modern satire — a charming paradox typical of 1990s Italian design culture.
Out of print and scarcely found today, Le Allegre Vite dei Santi is a whimsical relic of Catholic imagery filtered through the ironic lens of Cuore, ideal for collectors of vintage Italian decks, religious ephemera, or subversive pop art editions.

This delightful deck celebrates the rich artistic tradition of the Imagerie d'Épinal, renowned for its colorful popular prints from the 19th century. Produced in collaboration with Grimaud in 1991, the deck brings together some of the most charming illustrations from the archives of the Imagerie Pellerin des Vosges. Each card depicts whimsical characters, fairy-tale figures, and folkloric scenes, blending humor and history in a uniquely French style. A collectible piece that connects the world of playing cards with French popular art.

🔹 Published in 1991 by Grimaud in collaboration with Imagerie d'Épinal S.A.
🔹 Deck of 55 cards featuring colorful historical and folkloric illustrations from the famous Imagerie Pellerin des Vosges archives
🔹 Includes characters such as Le Chat Botté and other traditional figures
🔹 Card size: approx. 3 1/2" × 2 1/2" (88 × 63 mm)
🔹 Condition: Cards are in good condition, smooth and easy to shuffle; box shows signs of wear (see photos)

A charming and collectible French deck, perfect for lovers of historical imagery, fairy tales, and vintage playing cards.

🔹 Publisher: France Cartes – Grimaud
🔹 Collection: Bibliothèque Nationale Opéra de Paris
🔹 Year: 1988
🔹 Deck: 55 cards (52 + 2 Jokers + 1 title card)
🔹 Dimensions: 2 7/16" × 3 7/16" (approx. 6.2 × 8.7 cm)
🔹 Condition: Cards are NEW and sealed; outer box in excellent vintage condition.
(see last 2 pictures for the deck you will receive)
🔹 Made in France – Ref. 396 110

A rare and elegant deck inspired by Igor Stravinsky’s ballet “Petrouchka”, created for the Ballets Russes of Serge de Diaghilev in 1911.
This deck was produced in 1988 by France Cartes (Grimaud) for the Bibliothèque Nationale – Opéra de Paris Collection, under official authorization from the SPADEM.

The artwork reproduces the original costume designs from the 1948 revival at the Ballet de l’Opéra de Paris. Each card is illustrated with characters from the ballet — graceful dancers, musicians, and theatrical figures — beautifully printed on a black and gold background, framed in refined Art Deco style.

🪶 Collector’s Note:
This special edition pays homage to Stravinsky’s timeless ballet through historic costume sketches from the Paris Opera archives. A rare deck from the Grimaud heritage line, part of the official Bibliothèque Nationale series. Long out of print and highly sought after by collectors of French art and performing arts memorabilia.

A rare and wonderfully unusual French deck published by Dusserre in the 1980s, Les Saints Guérisseurs (“The Healing Saints”) associates each playing card with a saint known for healing or spiritual protection.

This unique deck blends religious art, folklore, and traditional devotional practices. Each card features a beautifully reproduced artwork—miniatures, illuminated manuscripts, altarpieces, or medieval paintings—depicting a saint and the ailment they were traditionally invoked to heal.

The Jokers and the 2s contain long alphabetical lists of illnesses (from acne to shingles, paralysis, insomnia, ulcers, etc.) with the corresponding patron saints. This system was historically used in devotional card games in France and is now extremely rare.

🔹 Publication period: 1980s (Dusserre, France)
🔹 Dimensions: Approx. 3.5 × 2.5 inches (standard poker size)
🔹 Condition
– Cards: Very good vintage condition — they shuffle smoothly and the artwork is crisp
– Box: Visible wear and age, consistent with storage, but still complete and functional (see photos)
🔹 Language: French

🪶 Collector’s Note

Dusserre decks have become highly collectible since the publisher ceased operations.
Les Saints Guérisseurs is especially rare due to its unusual theme and its reliance on medieval iconography sourced from major French museums (BNF, Musée Jacquemart-André, Musée de Cluny, etc.). Complete copies in good condition are increasingly hard to find.
Perfect for collectors of rare French decks, Catholic devotional ephemera, or anyone interested in the intersection of religion, art, and cartomancy.

Charming vintage set of 54 advertising playing cards from the 1980s, created for the famous shoe-care brand Collonil. A wonderful example of period advertising design, combining everyday objects with playful graphic charm.

The deck is complete, consisting of 52 standard cards plus 2 jokers.
Cards are in good overall condition, clean and smooth, and shuffle easily.
The original box is present and shows visible signs of wear consistent with age.

Complete collectible card game.
Theme: Advertising / Shoe accessories

They are in good condition, they slide when mixed.
The cards measure 5.5cm x 8.5cm.              
The box has signs of wear.

Produced in Spain by Naipes Comas, this edition stands out as a corporate promotional item, making it more unusual and desirable than standard souvenir decks.

🔸 Title: Gaudí Poker Playing Cards – Nissan Edition
🔸 Theme: Antoni Gaudí / Barcelona Architecture
🔸 Publisher: Naipes Comas (Spain)
🔸 Edition: Nissan advertising / promotional deck
🔸 Cards: 56 cards (52 + 2 Jokers + 2 extra cards)
🔸 Card size: 64 × 88 mm
🔸 Artwork: 54 colour architectural illustrations
🔸 Includes: Original box + informational cards (as pictured)
🔸 Language: Multilingual inserts
🔸 A blend of art, design, and corporate memorabilia
🔸 Ideal for collectors of advertising decks, automobiles, and European playing cards
🔸 Condition: Very good condition — complete deck, light wear to box as shown

Such promotional editions were often produced in limited quantities and not widely distributed, making complete sets with box increasingly sought after by collectors of both playing cards and vintage advertising memorabilia.

The Fairy People Playing cards were designed by Antonio Lupatelli. The deck is based in part on the Fairy Tarots deck produced by Lo Scarabeo in 1997. Traditional for Tell (Seasons) Pattern pips are used on pictures of playing cards.

COLLECTIBLE
54 PLAYING CARDS
DIMENSIONS: 6 x 9 cm

“History of Aviation” playing cards published by Lo Scarabeo (2003) in which every card carries a painting representing an aspect of the history of powered flight.

On December 17th, 1903 at Kitty Hawk in North Carolina, USA, the first motorized biplane left the ground.
It was planned and constructed by the brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright, owners of a bicycle shop.
The dream of flying had finally taken off!

COLLECTIBLE
54 PLAYING CARDS
DIMENSIONS: 6 x 9 cm

Designed by Jesus Blasco, this deck was inspired by the famous book “Gulliver’s Travels” written by the Irish writer Jonathan Swift and published in 1726 in London.
It recounts the marvelous adventures experienced by Doctor Guilliver.

LO SCARABEO
Artwork by Jesus Blasco

COLLECTIBLE
54 PLAYING CARDS
DIMENSIONS: 6 x 9 cm

72-Card Historic Facsimile Deck – Cologne, 16th Century – RARE COLLECTOR’S EDITION

A superb and scholarly reproduction of the legendary round playing cards attributed to Master PW, an anonymous engraver active in Cologne in the mid-16th century.
Published by Edition Leipzig in 1974, this fine art facsimile recreates one of the earliest surviving circular card decks, celebrated for its Renaissance engraving style, allegorical scenes, and extraordinary craftsmanship.

Each card is reproduced with remarkable fidelity, featuring knights, hunters, mythological figures, symbolic emblems, and humorous or moralizing motifs — a fascinating window into the visual culture of early European playing cards.

The set includes a 58-page bilingual booklet (German & English) offering deep historical context on early cardmaking techniques, woodcut engravers, and the mysterious Master PW.

A true museum-quality edition, rarely encountered complete and in such good condition.

Details

🔹 Artist: Master PW (anonymous Cologne engraver, 16th century)
🔹 Publisher: Edition Leipzig
🔹 Year: 1974
🔹 Country: German Democratic Republic
🔹 Cards: 72 circular cards (Ø ~73 mm)
🔹 Extras: 58-page bilingual booklet (German + English)
🔹 Style: Renaissance engraving, historical facsimile
🔹 Condition: Cards & booklet in very good condition — box with minor shelf wear
🔹 Notes: Limited collector’s edition; one of the finest reproductions of early European round cards

🪶 Collector’s Note

Master PW’s circular deck holds a special place in the history of playing cards. The originals, preserved in major European collections, are nearly unobtainable. This 1974 Edition Leipzig release is therefore prized among historians and collectors — both for its accuracy and its elegant presentation.
A superb object for lovers of early European printing, Renaissance art, or rare card reproductions.

A charming and collectible French playing card deck inspired by the grand world of opera, designed by Silvia Maddonni and printed by France Cartes on the historic presses of Grimaud (Baptiste-Paul Grimaud, master cardmaker since 1848). Published in 1990, this whimsical pack features theatrical figures with extravagant opera-style costumes — a signature of Maddonni’s artistic style.

Despite the title Jeu des 4 Opéras, the deck actually illustrates five operas, with Carmen represented by the two Jokers.

🔹 52 playing cards
🔹 2 Jokers
🔹 1 extra introduction card
🔹 Bilingual leaflet (French & English)
🔹 Original tuck box

Specifications:
🔹 Publisher: France Cartes, Paris
🔹 Illustrator: Silvia Maddonni
🔹 Year: 1990
🔹 Size: approx. 88 × 63 mm
🔹 Condition: Brand new and factory sealed (see photos)
🔹 Origin: Made in France

A delightful deck for collectors, opera lovers, and fans of unique French design.

🪶 Collector’s Note

Silvia Maddonni’s bold and theatrical illustration style makes her decks stand out among French productions of the late 20th century. Sealed 1990 editions printed by France Cartes are increasingly hard to come by, making this a desirable and display-worthy collectible.

A rare vintage edition of the traditional French game Aluette, also known as the "Jeu de Vendée".
This historical card game dates back to the 15th century and was especially popular in western France.

🔹 Publisher: Héron, Bordeaux – France
🔹 Year: 1950s edition
🔹 Cards: 48 cards, complete
🔹 Card size: approx. 6 × 9 cm
🔹 Box: Vintage red textured case (showing signs of wear, see photos)
🔹 Condition: Cards in good condition, box shows aging as pictured

An authentic piece of French gaming history, highly collectible and difficult to find today.

A rare and elegant reproduction of the historical Rois de France deck, originally published in Paris in 1856 by Grimaud under the name Jeu Historique. This set celebrates the great figures of France, with beautifully illustrated Kings, Queens, and Jacks inspired by history and art.

🔹 Publisher: Grimaud / France Cartes
🔹 Edition: Vintage reprint of the 1856 Jeu Historique
🔹 Cards: 52 suited cards + 2 Jokers + 1 explanatory card
🔹 Size: 88 × 62 mm
🔹 Condition: Cards are brand new (your deck will arrive unopened, with both original seals intact). The box shows signs of storage wear (see photos).
🔹 Rarity: Very hard to find complete and sealed.

A collector’s gem, preserved with the refinement and printing quality that made Grimaud famous. Perfect for lovers of French history and antique playing cards.

A faithful reproduction of a rare 19th-century French playing card deck originally produced around 1860. This elegant set preserves the refined aesthetic of the period, combining fashion-plate style court figures with exquisite architectural engravings.

This edition was printed in 2004 as an official fac-simile by the Fournier Playing Cards Museum (Museo Fournier de Naipes) in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. It reproduces an authentic antique deck held in their historic collection.

🔹The cards feature:
Full-color characters typical of mid-19th-century Parisian bourgeois fashion
Stunning monochrome engraved vignettes on alternating cards
French indices (♥♠♣♦) in period typography

A beautiful collector’s piece blending art, fashion, and French card-making history.

🔹 Details
Reproduction year: 2004
Original deck: France, c. 1860
Publisher: Museo Fournier de Naipes (Spain)
Composition: 52 cards (no jokers)
Condition: Cards and box in good condition as pictured

🪶 Collector’s Note

Authentic 19th-century French playing cards are increasingly hard to source. Official reproductions made by museum archives—such as this Fournier edition—are prized for their accuracy and for preserving decks that otherwise only exist in fragile originals. A lovely addition for collectors of historical European playing cards or anyone drawn to Victorian-era French aesthetics.

This edition contains 52 suited cards, plus 2 Jokers and 1 additional extra card. The illustrations reflect popular professions and urban scenes of the period, rendered in a warm, nostalgic style typical of early French card art. A beautiful documentary-style deck that blends social history, folk imagery, and classic playing card structure.
Deck size is 88 × 63 mm.
This copy remains sealed in its original blister packaging. Photos of the open deck are shown for reference only.

🪶 Collector’s Note

Originally inspired by Parisian card imagery from the early 1800s, Les Cris de Paris stands as a visual archive of everyday urban life in pre-modern France. Grimaud’s 1969 edition is especially appreciated for its faithful reproduction, gentle color palette, and documentary value. Still sealed in blister, this deck is a fine example for collectors of French playing cards, social-history imagery, or Grimaud’s classic heritage productions.

No need to go out to get some quality time in. Have a fun and inexpensive family night by playing one of these kid-friendly card games.

Here’s a collection of more than 7 fun family card games! These are games to play with a deck of cards that kids can learn and families can play together.

These card games are perfect for family gatherings, camping trips, holidays, and more.

⚠️ Boxes are showing some signs of wear due to storage as pictured. Cards are in good condition.
⚠️ Those games are in FRENCH.

For lovers of old card games to refine the pleasure of the game

Les Grands Rois de France is an elegant historical playing card deck celebrating the great figures of French royalty.
The court cards (Kings, Queens, and Jacks) feature famous royal portraits reproduced from masterpieces held in the Louvre, the Château de Versailles, and other major European museums, while the pip cards include historical facts and contextual references related to French monarchy.

Printed in a large-format size (88 × 63 mm), the cards offer excellent readability and a strong visual presence.
The deck comes complete in its original royal blue box, perfectly matching the refined aesthetic of the cards.

A beautiful crossover between art, history, and collectible playing cards.

🪶 Collector’s Note

Published by Éditions Dusserre, this deck is now sought after for the quality of its museum-grade reproductions and its near-mint, unused condition. A fine example of modern French historical playing cards preserved in exceptional state.