Russia

Cards from far off lands and bygone days!
User avatar
nECr0MaNCeD
Member
Member
Posts: 1233
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2014 11:46 pm
Cardist: Yes
Collector: Yes
Player: Yes
Magician: Yes
Decks Owned: 677
Location: Silver Spring, MD
Has thanked: 215 times
Been thanked: 131 times

Russia

Unread post by nECr0MaNCeD »

I found the deck below at a local thrift shop. I got it for 50 cents. I have only found two listings for these on eBay. One claims they are from 1991 and the other 1982. The plain tuck does not do the cards inside justice. The cards are in good condition and all 52 are there, minus the jokers. Any information about these would be greatly appreciated.

I apologize in advance for the bad photography.


Front of tuck. The substance at the top seems to be wax. A tax or duty stamp maybe?
Image

Back of tuck. You can just make out the beginning of the waxy substance from the last pic.
Image

Card backs. Sorry, they don't spread well and the smooth surface didn't help.
Image

Spades. I'm not enough of an expert to tell if the gold is ink or foiling. The pic doesn't do them justice. They are quite stunning in person.
Image

Diamonds
Image

Clubs. Think Jackson would like those skinny clubs?
Image

Hearts. The gold ink/foil is more striking on the red hearts/diamonds
Image
If it's too loud.... you're too old!
User avatar
dazzleguts
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 1499
Joined: Mon Sep 24, 2012 4:32 pm
Collector: Yes
Player: Yes
White Whale: Das Kartenspiel Des Oberdeutsc
Decks Owned: 885
Has thanked: 210 times
Been thanked: 142 times

Re: Russia

Unread post by dazzleguts »

Hey Necro
This is the White Palekh, an alternate version of the Black Palekh which was first printed for a world's fair and then reprinted as an anniversary edition.

Palekh refers to Russian miniature lacquer paintings on papier-mâché that first appeared around 1923 in a village called Palech and was based on a long local history of icon painting.

Your deck has a small letter with a 2 digit number beside it, at the bottom right of the box front. That is the date for your particular deck. I can't quite read it in your photo. This deck had many reprintings due to it's popularity so both the ebay dates that you found may be technically right. I will post more about the history and time line of this deck tonight when I have time to look it up.
User avatar
nECr0MaNCeD
Member
Member
Posts: 1233
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2014 11:46 pm
Cardist: Yes
Collector: Yes
Player: Yes
Magician: Yes
Decks Owned: 677
Location: Silver Spring, MD
Has thanked: 215 times
Been thanked: 131 times

Re: Russia

Unread post by nECr0MaNCeD »

dazzleguts wrote:Hey Necro
This is the White Palekh, an alternate version of the Black Palekh which was first printed for a world's fair and then reprinted as an anniversary edition.

Palekh refers to Russian miniature lacquer paintings on papier-mâché that first appeared around 1923 in a village called Palech and was based on a long local history of icon painting.

Your deck has a small letter with a 2 digit number beside it, at the bottom right of the box front. That is the date for your particular deck. I can't quite read it in your photo. This deck had many reprintings due to it's popularity so both the ebay dates that you found may be technically right. I will post more about the history and time line of this deck tonight when I have time to look it up.

Thanks Dazzle. The letter/number code you are referring to is A-84r, so am I correct in assuming it is 1984? Thanks again. I appreciate the info.
If it's too loud.... you're too old!
User avatar
dazzleguts
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 1499
Joined: Mon Sep 24, 2012 4:32 pm
Collector: Yes
Player: Yes
White Whale: Das Kartenspiel Des Oberdeutsc
Decks Owned: 885
Has thanked: 210 times
Been thanked: 142 times

Re: Russia

Unread post by dazzleguts »

This is a great find for 50 cents at a thrift store. I found mine the same way a few years ago. My deck has the jokers, and the complementary back to yours. Here so you can see the joker and matching back:
White P joker back.jpg
Yes the number 84 indicates 1984. My own deck is 1985. I don't know what the wax would be. Mine is missing the top flap of the tuck entirely so it may have had a seal?

The gold illustrations and embellishments in the pip cards of the White Palekh did not appear in the Black one so they are really different decks. IMO the White seems delicate and elegent while the Black is dramatic and ostentatious.

From my notes here is a more accurate beginning for the Black Palekh this white one was based on:

"Originally designed and printed in a very small edition by artist P. Bazhenov in 1937, and shown in the International Exposition in Paris, France, where it quickly sold out. It was redrawn for offset by E. Pashkov and reprinted for the 150th anniversary of the Leningrad/St. Petersburg playing-card factory in 1967."

I don't know the history of the White deck - why it was remade. WOPC says it was first printed in 1982.
User avatar
nECr0MaNCeD
Member
Member
Posts: 1233
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2014 11:46 pm
Cardist: Yes
Collector: Yes
Player: Yes
Magician: Yes
Decks Owned: 677
Location: Silver Spring, MD
Has thanked: 215 times
Been thanked: 131 times

Re: Russia

Unread post by nECr0MaNCeD »

Very nice. Thanks a lot for taking the time to type this. I showed them to a friend at work whose parents emigrated to the US from Russia in 1977, two years after he was born. He offered me $20 for them but they are officially part of my collection and not for sale. Thanks again for taking the time to tell me about these.
If it's too loud.... you're too old!
User avatar
volantangel
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 3607
Joined: Tue Nov 13, 2012 2:06 am
Collector: Yes
Player: Yes
Decks Owned: 350
Location: Singapore
Has thanked: 219 times
Been thanked: 297 times

Re: Russia

Unread post by volantangel »

Interesting, but aren't the palekhs still being printed nowadays? I recent saw packs of the black being on sale in a museum in Vienna when I travelled there a couple of months ago
User avatar
nECr0MaNCeD
Member
Member
Posts: 1233
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2014 11:46 pm
Cardist: Yes
Collector: Yes
Player: Yes
Magician: Yes
Decks Owned: 677
Location: Silver Spring, MD
Has thanked: 215 times
Been thanked: 131 times

Re: Russia

Unread post by nECr0MaNCeD »

volantangel wrote:Interesting, but aren't the palekhs still being printed nowadays? I recent saw packs of the black being on sale in a museum in Vienna when I travelled there a couple of months ago
Very possible. I;m still glad to have these. Now that you've told me that I will look for a newer deck.
If it's too loud.... you're too old!
User avatar
Eoghann
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 3467
Joined: Sat Jul 20, 2013 10:47 am
Collector: Yes
Player: Yes
Has thanked: 153 times
Been thanked: 428 times

Re: Russia

Unread post by Eoghann »

Pretty cool! I had never seen the white palekhs before. I have the black ones.
User avatar
dazzleguts
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 1499
Joined: Mon Sep 24, 2012 4:32 pm
Collector: Yes
Player: Yes
White Whale: Das Kartenspiel Des Oberdeutsc
Decks Owned: 885
Has thanked: 210 times
Been thanked: 142 times

Re: Russia

Unread post by dazzleguts »

Necro, this is one of my favourite decks so it's a pleasure to look at them again. Thank you for bringing them up. :)

Do you have a double deck set Eoghann? Is it a recent printing? If it is what are the backs like, did they change them again?

You can get Black Palekh reprints on ebay easy, no need to go to Vienna. ;)

The Black decks are still being printed now, but these vintage White ones are close to the first 1982 White Palekh decks, and with the different pip card treatment, on top of the colour and back change, the Black and White Palekhs really are different decks.
Palekh compare pips.jpg
Palekh compare pips.jpg (203.85 KiB) Viewed 14664 times
Palekh compare aces.jpg
Palekh compare aces.jpg (156.1 KiB) Viewed 14664 times
Palekh compare backs.jpg
Palekh compare backs.jpg (264.5 KiB) Viewed 14664 times
User avatar
Eoghann
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 3467
Joined: Sat Jul 20, 2013 10:47 am
Collector: Yes
Player: Yes
Has thanked: 153 times
Been thanked: 428 times

Re: Russia

Unread post by Eoghann »

It's not a double set. It's just a single deck I got off eBay. I'm not sure if it's an old deck. The box certainly looks somewhat weathered. It has the long tuck flap and the joker on the front of the tuck. :)
User avatar
nECr0MaNCeD
Member
Member
Posts: 1233
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2014 11:46 pm
Cardist: Yes
Collector: Yes
Player: Yes
Magician: Yes
Decks Owned: 677
Location: Silver Spring, MD
Has thanked: 215 times
Been thanked: 131 times

Re: Russia

Unread post by nECr0MaNCeD »

You are more than welcome Dazzle. Thanks for the comparison pics. I much prefer the White deck. Do you think I should take some better close up shots and post them for the sake of documentation?
If it's too loud.... you're too old!
User avatar
dazzleguts
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 1499
Joined: Mon Sep 24, 2012 4:32 pm
Collector: Yes
Player: Yes
White Whale: Das Kartenspiel Des Oberdeutsc
Decks Owned: 885
Has thanked: 210 times
Been thanked: 142 times

Re: Russia

Unread post by dazzleguts »

Space
That would be cool Necro. :) These really deserve a closer look, and yours will be the representative deck.
User avatar
volantangel
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 3607
Joined: Tue Nov 13, 2012 2:06 am
Collector: Yes
Player: Yes
Decks Owned: 350
Location: Singapore
Has thanked: 219 times
Been thanked: 297 times

Re: Russia

Unread post by volantangel »

The decks I saw were definitely a reproduction of some sort. And the white looks so much more elegant, but the gold doesn't pop as much. Interesting how many versions there are of this deck :)
User avatar
dazzleguts
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 1499
Joined: Mon Sep 24, 2012 4:32 pm
Collector: Yes
Player: Yes
White Whale: Das Kartenspiel Des Oberdeutsc
Decks Owned: 885
Has thanked: 210 times
Been thanked: 142 times

Re: Russia

Unread post by dazzleguts »

"Blosyak"
by Alexander Blosjak in c. 2009


Alexander Blosjak, aka Alex Blosyak or Sasha Blosyak, is a very interesting Russian illustrator who uses street/graffiti/underground comic styled art in much of his work. His drawings have been published in many magazines, in ads, an illustrated book of his own stories, and he has designed 2 decks of cards I know of.
Blosyak courts spades.jpg
This particular fantastical deck was started when Blosjak met someone who introduced himself as the King-bird, and Blosjak felt it imperative to make a card.
Blosyak courts hearts.jpg
He invented post-apocalyptic bird figures a la Venetian: these strange birds worship the weapons left behind by a dead human civilization.
Blosyak courts clubs.jpg
The more terrible the weapon, the higher the card: Jacks hold chainsaws and aces reference nuclear bombs and their radiation.
Blosyak courts diamonds.jpg
The pip cards are 6 through 10 in each suit and show feathers equal to the number of each card.
Blosyak nines square.jpg
With the dominant colour in the characters being black Blosjak chose to make the simplified suit signs in 4 different colours, which would also be the only bright colour in the courts and pip cards. The suit signs are blue triangles for spades, red triangles on their tips for hearts, green crosses for clubs, and yellow diamonds. Only 300 decks of this 36 card deck were printed - a true rarity.
Blosyak box back.jpg
My deck has some gaps in the black ink, as well as carry over smudges in the white areas. The cards are not pasteboard and show the other side through when held up to the light. They are also a little irregular in size and shape. The box surface is a little ragged where it was bent into shape. My guess is they were actually printed by Blosjak and self-published.[/color]
User avatar
Jock1971
Member
Member
Posts: 1301
Joined: Mon Feb 17, 2014 2:00 pm
Collector: Yes
Has thanked: 162 times
Been thanked: 395 times

Re: Russia

Unread post by Jock1971 »

.
User avatar
Eoghann
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 3467
Joined: Sat Jul 20, 2013 10:47 am
Collector: Yes
Player: Yes
Has thanked: 153 times
Been thanked: 428 times

Re: Russia

Unread post by Eoghann »

My goodness. That deck is just incredible.
User avatar
dazzleguts
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 1499
Joined: Mon Sep 24, 2012 4:32 pm
Collector: Yes
Player: Yes
White Whale: Das Kartenspiel Des Oberdeutsc
Decks Owned: 885
Has thanked: 210 times
Been thanked: 142 times

Re: Russia

Unread post by dazzleguts »

That's great, you guys have the same reaction as I do to this deck: :shock:
It remains in my top ten even though I've more than doubled my collection since I found this one.

@Jase: as far as I can tell the deck was made around 2009 - which I put in the title above. (I will change that so it reads better.) Much of the info about it seems to be only available in Russian and I may have missed some of the nuances when running the text through translators. I had to extensively rewrite the translations to make them at all coherent.

Blosjak is an incredibly creative person who has been very prolific. You can see some of his work here:
https://www.behance.net/sashablosyak
http://cargocollective.com/Blosyak/Illustrations

He has made another deck called Medieval Manuscript but it's much milder looking than this one. See it here:
http://cargocollective.com/Blosyak/Play ... manuscript

As for the queens, the Q of H is removing a hidden blade from her robes while the others are making arcane hand signs and have many rings. Rings were an old way to carry a small amount of poison and maybe they do so here. The Q of S also looks like she may be reaching inside her top for something deadly. Altogether I think they represent the weapons of subterfuge.

I also would have liked to have seen Russian indices on these. There is english on the cards ("made in Russia") so perhaps his intended audience was Russia's cold war enemy, the US, and nuclear war the possible apocalypse?

The tuck and back use a highly stylized feather shape to make the design. It's a more formal back than an illustrated one would have been. He worked in a design studio so I wonder if the backs were designed by a colleague? With his quality of work you do rather want to see as much of it as possible. Maybe if he makes another edition the backs will be more like the faces.

One more thing about these is the way they also seem to touch on plague doctor outfits from the 17th and 18th centuries:
grev_medico1_w.jpg
grev_medico1_w.jpg (21.07 KiB) Viewed 14587 times
As may be seen on picture here,
In Rome the doctors do appear,
When to their patients they are called,
In places by the plague appalled,
Their hats and cloaks, of fashion new,
Are made of oilcloth, dark of hue,
Their caps with glasses are designed,
Their bills with antidotes all lined,
That foulsome air may do no harm,
Nor cause the doctor man alarm,
The staff in hand must serve to show
Their noble trade where'er they go.
User avatar
Jock1971
Member
Member
Posts: 1301
Joined: Mon Feb 17, 2014 2:00 pm
Collector: Yes
Has thanked: 162 times
Been thanked: 395 times

Re: Russia

Unread post by Jock1971 »

.
User avatar
iDoctor
Member
Member
Posts: 99
Joined: Tue May 20, 2014 3:12 am
Collector: Yes
Decks Owned: 1000
Location: Moscow
Has thanked: 9 times
Been thanked: 9 times

Re: Russia

Unread post by iDoctor »

A little bit more about the Palekh cards history. (Palekh is a village in the central Russia with a population of about 5.000 people, one of historical centres of the traditional Russian art).

Here is the sample of the traditional Palekh Art: Image

The original Palekh playing cards were created in 1937 by the Russian artist Pavel Bazhenov (born in 1904, lost in 1941, specialized in theater and traditional Russian art). These original Palekh cards were created for the World Expo '1937 in Paris and were avaliable in France only. (Quickly sold). Nowadays these cards are one of the rarest and the most expensive of all Russian/Soviet playing cards ever. They are really beautiful (unfortunately I don't know how to upload pictures from my computer here so cannot show you these cards, the best of all Palekhs).

I've added Black Palekh '1937 cards to the PCDB here is the link where you can see all images: https://playingcarddb.com/dbdeck?id=233 ... k-original

In 1967 these cards were reprinted by the Leningrad (St.Petersburg) factory to commemorate their 150-years anniversary with similar but simplified design. These cards were officially named as 'Jubilee' playing cards but became well known abroad as Black Palekh playing cards (so these were not original). These cards also have had very high quality and one of the best gold embossing ever.
Black Palekh ace joker back EC.jpg
Black Palekh spade court.jpg
Black Palekh Jubilee 3 courts.jpg
This edition of the Black Palekh has several differences from the original 1937 version. At first, original version had not gold (yellow) borders. Then, the names were originally printed using not Cyrillic but Latin letters (A, K, Q, etc. instead of Т, К, Д, etc.). And these decks had absolutely different Jokers.

There was one more edition of these cards - 'Jubilee' 1997 edition, it was printed to commemorate the 180-anniversary of the St.Petersburg (Leningrad) card factory.

In 1982 one more simplified version of these cards was printed at the same Leningrad factory - the 'Souvenir' playing cards - these were the White Pelekh cards (please note that playing cards were expensive in the USSR and even the simplified white card's price was 3 Soviet rubles - about USD6 officially - while standard Soviet salary was about 150 roubles per month). These cards are the least rare among historical Palekh cards.

There also were two editions of the White Palekh. The first one has been shown at the beginning of this topic. Another one was printed in St.Petersburg 10 years later and had different tuck box and a stamp on the Ace of Spades. The last White Palekh deck I've seen was printed in 2001.

And you can definitely find modern Palekh cards on the market. There are two versions of modern Palekh cards (bridge size, standard faces, red and gold borders) produced by Piatnik in Austria. They are more or less similar to the Black Palekh cards but have simplified design and worse quality.

EDIT: Black Palekh 1937 and 1967 PCDB links added, some images added, orthography fixed.
Yours, iDoctor
User avatar
iDoctor
Member
Member
Posts: 99
Joined: Tue May 20, 2014 3:12 am
Collector: Yes
Decks Owned: 1000
Location: Moscow
Has thanked: 9 times
Been thanked: 9 times

Re: Russia

Unread post by iDoctor »

ADDED: Here you can see the Original 1937 edition Joker ('Skomoroh' aka Buffoon) with a tambourine, created by P.Bazhenov, and the 1967 edition Joker ('Shut' aka Jester with 3 cards in his hand) created by E.Pashkov.

By the way - if you check attentively Pashkov's 1967 joker - you will see two Cyrillic letters Е.П. (E.P.) on the yellow part of his sleeve. This is the artists name and family name initials. :D
Palekh jokers.jpg
Yours, iDoctor
User avatar
dazzleguts
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 1499
Joined: Mon Sep 24, 2012 4:32 pm
Collector: Yes
Player: Yes
White Whale: Das Kartenspiel Des Oberdeutsc
Decks Owned: 885
Has thanked: 210 times
Been thanked: 142 times

Re: Russia

Unread post by dazzleguts »

Here is a comparison between the Black Palekh 1937 and 1967 court cards - King of Spades. The original is much finer detailed work since Pashkov simplified the art to make it work for the 1967 offset printing. The border added to the 1967 version also made the figure smaller.
Palekh K of S compare.jpg
Worldwide Time Machine

"Cards from far off lands and bygone days!"
User avatar
Mike Ratledge
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 5496
Joined: Sat Nov 02, 2013 4:25 pm
Collector: Yes
Player: Yes
White Whale: OG USPCC Vanity Fair [mint]
Decks Owned: 7800
Location: Awendaw/McClellanville (Charleston county) S.C.
Has thanked: 1911 times
Been thanked: 760 times

Re: Russia

Unread post by Mike Ratledge »

Vladaslav Erko "Korchma Taras Bulba" first printing from 2005. The 2011 printing has Anglicized indices, different back & tuck and gold metallic inks, prettier overall, I suppose - but this one is harder to find.

It's obviously a contemporary deck, but you should expect to pay $45-$65 in mint / unopened condition. It's a Ukrainian artist with Ukrainian court illustrations, but the "Taras Bulba" is a Ukrainian restaurant in Moscow, so it actually belongs here. The other two suits are posted in the "J R #46" (New Era restoration) thread.
Attachments
VE1_tuck.PNG
VE1_aces.JPG
VE2_hearts.JPG
VE2_clubs.JPG
VE2_back.JPG
VE1_jokers.JPG
>Mike<
"You can't please everyone, so you've got to please yourself"
They say "Ignorance is bliss". Obviously, some people are much happier than others...

Members are encouraged to
Show Us Your Cards!


Our UC2021 Decks entitled
"Odd Fellows"
by Lorenzo Gaggiotti / @Stockholm17
Coming soon: AKA
«Eighth Annual Decks»


UC members help maintain Portfolio52
THE Playing Card Database Online
Contact ecNate for details and access


UC2019 "Seventh Annual Decks"
by Montenzi Design
Funded 207% on KS: HERE


>>> UC Deck Sales <<<


Insert disclaimer here...
All information posted as fact is accurate at the time of posting to the best of my knowledge.
User avatar
Jock1971
Member
Member
Posts: 1301
Joined: Mon Feb 17, 2014 2:00 pm
Collector: Yes
Has thanked: 162 times
Been thanked: 395 times

Re: Russia

Unread post by Jock1971 »

.
User avatar
Jock1971
Member
Member
Posts: 1301
Joined: Mon Feb 17, 2014 2:00 pm
Collector: Yes
Has thanked: 162 times
Been thanked: 395 times

Re: Russia

Unread post by Jock1971 »

.
User avatar
Jock1971
Member
Member
Posts: 1301
Joined: Mon Feb 17, 2014 2:00 pm
Collector: Yes
Has thanked: 162 times
Been thanked: 395 times

Re: Russia

Unread post by Jock1971 »

.
User avatar
Jock1971
Member
Member
Posts: 1301
Joined: Mon Feb 17, 2014 2:00 pm
Collector: Yes
Has thanked: 162 times
Been thanked: 395 times

Re: Russia

Unread post by Jock1971 »

.
User avatar
dazzleguts
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 1499
Joined: Mon Sep 24, 2012 4:32 pm
Collector: Yes
Player: Yes
White Whale: Das Kartenspiel Des Oberdeutsc
Decks Owned: 885
Has thanked: 210 times
Been thanked: 142 times

Re: Russia

Unread post by dazzleguts »

Space
Anti-Fascist
Originally c. 1942/43
This facsimile 2010


This deck is a facsimile of a Russian deck designed by artist Vasiliy Andrianovich Vlasov. The publisher of this printing of the deck is the "Peterhof Museum of Playing Cards". It was printed from a deck in their collection by “Diton”, in 2010 as a limited edition of 500 decks. There are small differences in color between the cards suggesting the pip and information cards were printed separately from the more colourful courts and aces.
Anti-Fascist spades small.jpg
These cards have a connection to the the Siege of Leningrad which went from 1941 - 1944. Towards the end of 1941 Stalin gave orders that playing card production was to be resumed at "The Colour Printing Plant" in Leningrad. A pack of ‘anti-fascist’ playing cards was designed by the artist V. A. Vlasov.
Anti-Fascist hearts small.jpg
There was only a handful of map specialists present in the beseiged city to make the cards. Hungry, working under difficult conditions and with no electricity, the pack was eventually finished as an edition of about 700 copies. Dates I was able to find online differ and only list the year as either 1942 or 1943. Considering the difficulty in it's manufacture I lean towards 1943.
Anti-Fascist clubs small.jpg
The cards were apparently loaded into an aircraft and thrown, with leaflets, in the vicinity of enemy units as a gesture of defiance.
Anti-Fascist diamonds small.jpg
The characters portrayed are from the countries that had attacked Russia in 1941: Germany, Romania, Italy and Finland. The Queens and Aces are allegories of the times and the Joker shows Goebbels.
Anti-Fascist aces_back_joker small.jpg
Anti-Fascist pips_box_EC small.jpg
The deck was also apparently redrawn from old photographs by the artist Elena Petrova in 2003. It was published as a reproduction at that time by an A. Lutovskiy. [/color]

Some sources:
http://www.wopc.co.uk/russia/siege
http://www.21king.ru/en/museum/?country ... ry=politic
User avatar
Jock1971
Member
Member
Posts: 1301
Joined: Mon Feb 17, 2014 2:00 pm
Collector: Yes
Has thanked: 162 times
Been thanked: 395 times

Re: Russia

Unread post by Jock1971 »

.
User avatar
Jock1971
Member
Member
Posts: 1301
Joined: Mon Feb 17, 2014 2:00 pm
Collector: Yes
Has thanked: 162 times
Been thanked: 395 times

Re: Russia

Unread post by Jock1971 »

.
User avatar
Jock1971
Member
Member
Posts: 1301
Joined: Mon Feb 17, 2014 2:00 pm
Collector: Yes
Has thanked: 162 times
Been thanked: 395 times

Re: Russia

Unread post by Jock1971 »

.
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 36 guests