William tell / Viennese large crown pattern ( Piatnik)

William tell / Viennese large crown pattern ( Piatnik) - 36c.

The following deck is a very curious deck. It is comprised of 2 patterns of playing cards, the Viennese large crown, and the William tell pattern, one at each end of the card . I like to call such decks "Janus"decks.

 The motivation for producing such chimeras , is that in some countries, like Austria, card-players use two diffrent types of playing cards, which are completely diffrent from one another. Therefore , as a comprmise, makers sometimes print such decks, with one type of card at one end, and the other at the other end. Therefore, the dispute is settled.
 Also note that this deck has 6s. Normaly, Austrian large crown decks do not have 6s.

Here are the number cards of the deck. Note the decoration on the german suited side, which is     copied faithfuly!

Here is the same deck, with the french suited side facing upwards

see also;

http://anthonylesq.blogspot.sg/2011/10/magyar-kartya.html

and

http://anthonylesq.blogspot.sg/2011/11/preference-vienna-large-crown-pattern.html

Austrian large crown pattern ( piatnik)

Austrian large crown pattern ( piatnik) , 52c. + 3 jokers

This deck is of the austrian large crown pattern, but posses some ususual features;
I- the deck has 55 cards. Normaly, the deck only has 32 or sometimes as little as 24
II the deck has indexes.
compare: http://anthonylesq.blogspot.com/2011/11/preference-vienna-large-crown-pattern.html

"preference" ( vienna large crown pattern)

"preference"by ASS altenburger .32 c, no indexes

Preference is a the name of a game played in Austria & Russia. The cards that you see here are of the viennese large crown patern, a highly idosyncratic pattern of that country.
Interesting features to look out are the Jack of clubs, holding an impliment that  has been described as a "carpet beater" ,but I think is actually a sort of spear. Also note the king of spades, who bears the name of the company on a sash he is wearing.
the jack of hearts bears the company's address, "IN ALTENBERG" , split between the 2 flags he is holding. This pattern also comes in a 24- card form for playing schnapsen