Foreign Manufacturers - Part 2: Non German
Carta Mundi - very old Version
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Most foreign manufacturers can be identified by the ace of acorn. Concentrate on the shown part that is unique for all major card makers. Since some decks do not have any manufacturer information, this way of identification comes in quite handy. This is the very old version of Carta Mundi. The "heart" shape in the ace of acorn will change. But the best way to identify this version is by the acorn itself.
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The oldest version of the cards by Carta Mundi has a very rough design.
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On the ace of bell you can read: POLYDONO (followed by a three leaved clover), CH-3000 Bern 5, (phone symbol) 031 26 07 77.
According Walter Haas Polydono is the name of the company that is responsible for the distribution in Switzerland.
Size: 89 x 57 mm
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Carta Mundi - old Version
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This now is the typical identification of the Carta Mundi Jass cards. Since some decks do not have any manufacturer information, this way of identification comes in quite handy.
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The old version of the cards by Carta Mundi has a rather rough design. The characters of the court cards look rather old, perhaps withered by the weather.
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Same information on the aces of bell and shield as in the previous version.
Size: 89 x 57 mm
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On the ace of bell the same information can be read as on the previous version; difference to before is: Polydono is written much smaller and there is no more company logo and no symbol for the telephone.
Size: 89 x 57 mm
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Carta Mundi - new Version
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Slightly modified to the previous version is this part of the ace of acorn: e.g. a little less wide.
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In the new version of the cards by Carta Mundi the courts look much younger and have softer faces. The banners have a different shape.
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The written information inside the aces of bell and shield is the same as in the version before.
Size: 89 x 57 mm
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"Polydono" disappeared out of the ace of bell and left this space blank.
Size: 89 x 57 mm
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There is also a version existing, where neither the ace of bell nor the ace of shield (nor any other card in the deck) has any manufacturer information.
Size: 89 x 57 mm
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Héron
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Since this part of the ace of acorn is very close to Müller, we additionally need the acorn itself as a further mark of identification. Compared to the Müller acorn, the green base of Héron is much rounder and the tip is less pointed.
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The French manufacturer Héron has an own design of the Swiss pattern. Especially the faces of the court cards are different. Also worth mentioning are the bells, which have a different shading than of all other manufacturers.
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On the ace of bell is the company logo plus the word "héron".
Size: 87 x 57 mm
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Dal Negro
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This part of the ace of acorn is quite unique!
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The only Italian manufacturer that prints the Swiss pattern is Dal Negro. On the cardboard box we can further read: "Jass, 36 plastifizierte Spielkarten, N. 25/S"
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On the ace of bell you can read: "Dal Negro - Treviso, Italy, Fabbrica carte da giuoco" and on the ace of shield (in differnt order): "Fabbrica carte da giuoco, DAL NEGRO, Treviso - Italy".
Size: 89 x 57 mm
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Playing Cards R Us, Inc.
This US American manufacturer is the only non-European playing card maker that printed traditional Swiss suited cards. These cards have many specialities. Let me just name a few:
. This is the first and only 52 card deck with Swiss suits.
. It additionally has 2 different Jokers.
. None of the figures on the court cards is smoking.
. The 10s have the word "Banner" written as left index and the Roman numeral "X" as right index.
. The shields in the corners of the pip cards are mirrored vertically, so they are no longer upside down.
. The bells in the corners of the pip cards are mirrored horizontally, so the handles are on the inner side.
Size: 89 x 57 mm
Part 1: German Manufacturers
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