French-Suited Playing Cards: A Photographic Archive

A Gallery of Regional and Supra-Regional Playing Cards with Historical and Modern Decks

 
A Visual Archive of Standard Patterns
FRENCH-SUITED PLAYING CARDS | 2

LAST UPGRADE: 15.08.2026

Selected deck:
"Sofa-Karte", a German pack made by Frommann
INV 2358 | "Sofa-Karte", a German pack made by Frommann

Other conventional patterns
Please note that some minor, or uncertain, patterns (e.g. Latvian, Norwegian, Polish, etc.) are included in their respective countries (part three).
single-headed
double-headed
pattern name
'Bongoût' playing cards
Turnhout's «Bongout» pattern[ENDS ∼1900]

Turnhout's "Bongoût" pattern [4]
'Cartes Italiennes' playing cards
«cartes italiennes» pattern[ENDS ∼1900]

Conventional name.
"Cartes Italiennes" pattern [3]
'Cartes Suisses playing cards
«cartes suisses» pattern[ENDS ∼1920]

Conventional name.
"Cartes Suisses" pattern [4]
'Cartes Imperiales' playing cards, first version'Cartes Imperiales' playing cards, second version
«cartes imperiales» patterns[ENDS ∼1930]

Mostly a Belgian/Dutch pattern, in two main versions.
"Cartes Imperiales" patterns [13]

  First version
  Second version
'ieuw Neerlandia' playing cards
«Nieuw Neerlandia» pattern

"Nieuw Neerlandia" pattern [4]
Old Swedish-style playing cards
Swedish (old) pattern[ENDS ∼1900]

Swedish (old) pattern [2]
'Holmblad A' playing cards
«Holmblad A» pattern

"Holmblad A" pattern [10]
'Holmblad B' playing cards
«Holmblad B» pattern[ENDS ∼1920]

"Holmblad B" pattern [5]
'Holmblad C' playing cards
«Holmblad C» pattern[ENDS ∼1950]

"Holmblad C" pattern [3]
'Holmblad D' playing cards
«Holmblad D» pattern[ENDS ∼1910]

"Holmblad D" pattern [1]
'Handa' playing cards
«Handa» pattern

"Handa" pattern [8]
'Cartes Hollandaises' playing cards
«Cartes Hollandaises» pattern[ENDS ∼1940]

Actually a French pattern.
"Cartes Hollandaises" pattern [4]
'Cartes Parisiennes' playing cards
«Cartes Parisiennes» pattern[ENDS ∼1920]

In the "Royal" version, the Q♥ has no feathered hat.
"Cartes Royales" & "Cartes Parisiennes" patterns [4]
'Noblesse' playing cards
«Noblesse» pattern[ENDS ∼1900]

Also known as "Renaissance" pattern.
"Noblesse" pattern [4]
'Sofa-Karte' playing cards
«Sofa-karte» pattern[ENDS ∼1900]

"Sofa-Karte" pattern [3]
'Salon-Karte' playing cards
«Salon-karte» pattern

"Salonkarte" often means "deluxe card", as here.
"Salon-Karte" pattern [5]
'Baronesse' playing cards
«Baronesse» pattern

Prototype of modern Rococo-style cards.
It also features derived designs.
"Baronesse" pattern [15]
'Mittelalter-Karte' playing cards
«Mittelalter-karte» pattern

Has become almost a standard pattern in Portugal.
It also features derived designs.
"Mittelalter-Karte" pattern [6]
'Wüst 1' playing cards
«Wust 1» pattern[ENDS ∼1920]

Also described as "Wüst A" pattern.
"Wüst 1" pattern [3]
'Wüst 2' playing cards
«Wust 2» pattern[ENDS ∼1900]

Also described as "Wüst A" pattern.
"Wüst 2" pattern [1]
'Wüst 3' playing cards
«Wust 3» pattern

Also described as "Wüst B" pattern.
"Wüst 3" pattern [5]
'Böhme' playing cards
«bohme» pattern

From the name of the alleged first manufacturer.
"Böhme" pattern [3]
Tuscan-style playing cards, double-headed
Tuscan double-headed pattern[ENDS ∼1900]

Early attempt at a regional double-headed pattern.
Tuscan double-headed pattern [1]
'Writers' playing cards
«Writers Deck» pattern[ENDS ∼1920]

A Trieste pattern with French suits.
"Writers deck" pattern [1]
Nuoro-style playing cards
Nuoro pattern[ENDS ∼1965]

Sardinian pattern in the French system.
A pattern of German origins.
Nuoro pattern [1]
'Russkije' playing cards
«Russkije» pattern

Russian traditional costumes.
"Russkije" pattern [4]

Semi-conventional patterns
Selection of decks – all of German origin – with affinities between them ("veiled" queens) and with many cards similar to the patterns shown above.
single-headed
double-headed
pattern name
'Löwenschulter-Karte' playing cards
«Lowenschulter-Karte» pattern[ENDS ∼1920]

Löwenschulter=Lion's shoulder (but not always...).
"Löwenschulter-Karte" pattern [3]
'Schild-Karte' playing cards
«Schild-Karte» pattern[ENDS ∼1920]

"Schild-Karte" pattern [1]
'Renaissance-Karte 1' playing cards
«Renaissance-Karte 1» pattern[ENDS ∼1900]

"Renaissance-Karte 1" pattern [4]
'Renaissance-Karte 2' playing cards
«Renaissance-Karte 2» pattern[ENDS ∼1900]

"Renaissance-Karte 2" pattern [1]
Frankfurt's 'Bongoût' playing cards
Frankfurt's «Bongout» pattern[ENDS ∼1900]

Frankfurt's "Bongoût" pattern [1]
'Frankfurter-karte' playing cards
«Frankfurter-Karte» pattern[ENDS ∼1900?]

Generic name, lacking specific denomination.
"Frankfurter-Karte" pattern [1]
Hamburg & 'Cartes Hambourgeoises' playing cards
Hamburg pattern[ENDS ∼1925?]

Quite unstable pattern, often established only on kings. IPCS sheets #58 & #71.
Hamburg & "Cartes Hambourgeoises" patterns [3]