Tell pattern , Bonaparte

(Tell pattern), Bonaparte, 32c +1

The following deck is made by Bonaparte, a Czechoslovakian company. It is based on the  "Tell pattern", but has several notable differences.

The first differnce is the lack of names. Most "tell pattern" decks name the court cards and aces. For example, the ace of leaves ( Top row, first card from left) is typically labelled ozsp/herbst , meaning autumn. 

The court cards in such decks are usually labelled, which is also absent in this deck. For example, the ober of acorns ( Bottom row, 3rd from left) is titled "William Tell". This is absent, but the card still depicts Tell-- The cross-bow he holds is Tell-ing! 

Apart from the differences above, the cards are quite similar to most patterns. The only differnce appears to be the use of more muted palate of colours. 

( compare http://anthonylesq.blogspot.sg/2011/10/magyar-kartya.html  and http://anthonylesq.blogspot.sg/2011/11/miniature-tell-pattern-piatnik.html )

 Comparisons between the present deck ( marked B) and a more typical deck, by Piatnik. 

(marked P)  The top row shows the court cards, and the differences are quite obvious. 

The makers seem to have removed all references to the William tell legend in the pip cards. For example, in the 8 of hearts, ( Bottom row, first pair from left), the Piatnik deck depicts a scene in the  William tell legend where he steers a boat across  a stormy lake. The Bonaparte deck shows a simple sailing ship. 

Although the scenes in the cards have been altered, the designers of the Bonaparte deck have decided to retain the theme of the cards. The 7 of bells ( First pair from left) depicts a parting couple, but the piatnik deck includes a child-- presumably Tell's son. The 7 of hearts ( second pair from left) instead of showing Gessler's death, shows a simple mounted figure. 

"Nolbu"hwatu

"Nolbu", 48c+6

When Korea was under Japanese occupation, the Koreans took a liking to the Japanese games played using hanafuda. The Koreans subsequently developed their own games, and at length, a native Korean pattern.  (If you are not already familiar with the hanafuda, this is a useful link: http://anthonylesq.blogspot.sg/2012/02/hanafuda-nintendo.html )
 
  The first major difference is the materials from which the decks are made. Japanese cards are made of thick cardboard, while the korean hwatu are made of stiff sheets of plastic.

 I have seen people who are ignorant of this fact lodge complaints on an online retailer, feeling cheated, as the Japanese hanafuda they bought were printed on paper instead of the expected plastic!

Nevertheless, despite being made of plastic, the hwatu retain a red border around the cards; an imitation of the japanese cards and their turnover edges.

 The suits of January and febuary. note the “光 character on the card with the crane, ( Top row, 1st from right) This character marks out certain valuable cards in the deck. 

The suits of  march. and april Note the " ribbon" card ( Top row, 2nd from right) . The inscription on this ribbon is in Korean. No-one seems to understand what it says.  

The Suits of May and June . One of the features of the Hwatu are the use of a light, almost turquoise blue. The standard Japanese cards use a deep purple instead of this color. .  

The Suits of  July and August. Another key feature of the hwatu is the deep black used. The Hanafuda use a grey colour instead of the black. It is thus possible to see the veins of the leaves, and blades of grass. This is impossible in the hwatu. Note the " moon"  card ( 2nd row, 1st from right). It contains the visage of nolbu, a character in a Korean folktale. 

 September. and october 

November and December. 

Here are the extra " joker" cards that are peculiar to the Korean game. They display figures relevant to the story of Nolbu and Heungbu. Nolbu (1) was a miser, who had a brother called Heungbu.

Their father died. Nolbu took all their father's wealth for himself,  and drove  Heungbu out of the luxurious house in which they had previously lived,  (2). Heungbu was forced to stay in a small hut, where a swallow that they saved (3) presented them with a seed. When it was planted, it grew gourds that were filed with treasure (4). 

Nolbu grew jealous, and forced a swallow to present him with a similar seed (5). When that was planted, the gourds that it grew were filled with demons, who tore him to pieces ( not shown ). It seems that the ingenious maker has used the elements of the story described to illustrate the various bonuses that the cards confer. Any translation is appreciated. 

"Playing cards No. 7728"

"Playing cards No. 7728", anon,  52+2c

The present deck of cards is most interesting. It was found in a small haberdashery shop in Singapore, where it lay forgotten, perhaps for nearly 30 years ( judging by the pictures on the cards), until the author purchased it from the somewhat bewildered shopkeeper.

The cards are of Chinese make ( as the inscription on the box tells us). The box itself displays an image of a embracing couple. Garish rainbow lettering informs us that it contains playing cards:

The playing cards themselves display similar images. Each and every one of them contains a couple in some state of embrace, or doing some activity together.

The images may have been magazine illustrations, or film  posters. Note the four of spades, where what appears to be the title of a magazine on the top. Also note the seven of hearts. In a somewhat inexplicable scene, a woman and a devil are seen together. \

Some cards  have an unusual horizontal format, as seen in the six of diamonds & seven of spades. In a particularly inexplicable moment, a couple are seen buying CDs

More cards from the set. Note the four of hearts. Upon closer inspection, the reflection on the sunglasses of the couple reveal a series of bingo balls

All the cards, and the box are printed on relatively poor quality card. The present deck appears to be a novelty deck. However, that deck of cards was sold along with a few other decks of similar make, one of which was a Oral-B  advertising deck. 

. I would most happily accept any information about possible sources for the pictures on the present deck. 

"Flying wheel 868" : International pattern X

Again, another deck of the international pattern, also from Indonesia.

Note that the scanning process has rendered the yellow parts more orange than they actually are. 

 Note the curious green colour of the backs. This is despite the fact that the box they are in ( below) is blue in colour 

"Playing cards 727" : International pattern IX

  "Playing cards" [international pattern]  , "727", 52 + 3

This deck of playing cards was made in Indonesia, . It is yet another example of the most far-reaching of all patterns of playing cards; the international pattern.

This deck is a rather ordinary deck. It was cheaply produced , and printed in only three colours ( compare http://anthonylesq.blogspot.sg/2012/03/international-pattern-part-i.html and http://anthonylesq.blogspot.sg/2012/03/international-pattern-ii-anon.html).

However, perhaps the most attractive feature of the deck are it's ace of spades and back design. The Indonesians, lovers of pattern and ornament, have exercised their imagination into designing these two cards. The ace of spades is a baroque creation, a mass of acanthus and flowers forming the symbol of that suit. The back design is a equally elaborate pattern of tritons and mermaids, frolicking amongst vines.

Spades ( note ace)

The packaging also shows the ace of spades.

Diamonds.

The back design. The overall structure resembles the backs of "bicycle" playing cards, but far more elaborate.

Sadly, the jokers are less ornate than the backs or ace.

Scenic aces 3- "Verona plastic coated speelkarten"

"Verona plastic coated speelkarten"- Anon, 52c + 3 jokers

If there is a deck of cards that can be called "international", this is it. Its courts are of the international, or Anglo-American pattern, but the indices are in Dutch. Likewise, the aces depict scenes from around the Netherlands.

It would be interesting to know what prompted the manufacturer of this deck to use the Anglo-American pattern for the courts whilst keeping the traditional scenic aces. Perhaps this was an exercise in economy ; The manufacturer could not get the plates for printing Dutch courts.

Dutch scenic aces / 2 - "Prima speelkaarten 1410"

"Prima speelkaarten 1410" ( Dutch pattern) , anon[?], 32c. + 6 of hearts

The present deck is yet another "scenic aces", but this time, the pictures depict scenes from the Netherlands, The scenes are exquisitely detailed line drawings, but unlike most examples, uncoloured.

Spades - Maasbruggen Rotterdam / Delftsche poort Rotterdam
Clubs - Station Groningen / Kasteel biljoen velp (GLD)
Hearts - Utrecht kromme N. Gracht / Gouda aan de gouwe
Diamonds  - Hoofdvaart assen / voorstreek Leeuwarden

The deck also possesses an extra card, a six of hearts. This brings the total number of cards to 33 instead of the usual 32. The extra card is included for use in the game of Pandoeren, ( see http://www.pagat.com/jass/pandoer.html )

 

Spades and clubs

 

Diamonds and hearts. Note the queen of diamonds, who holds a bird in her hand.

The aces