CHARLEMAGNE Playing Cards. The beautiful inspiration of a great Russian artist
Inside an ocean of card projects (to be honest, some better than others) sometimes you find small hidden gems that do not have the impact they should but that are full with history. This is the case of CHARLEMAGNE Playing Cards.
Adolf Charlemagne was a renowned and talented Russian artist of the nineteenth century known for his historical, genre and battles scenes. Charlemagne was also the creator of a new unified design for the Russian playing cards, whose origins and influences had always been based on German and French cards. This deck, known as the Satin deck (whose name comes from the coverage of talcum powder that improved the shuffling), became the most standard and recognizable design already used nowadays.
This artist also designed a set of sketches for a new deck, but they were never printed. Now, Edvin Krishtofor and the manufacturer Markwell have teamed up to rescue those sketches and create from scratch a beautiful deck inspired by the original artwork but completely redesigned. Different artists have been working for two years to get a reinterpretation of Charlemagne’s designs with harmonious and very elegant illustrations, a great level of detail and a delicious adornment.
The classicism meets modern design techniques in quite elaborate court cards, with highly realistic designs and visually impeccable faces and poses. Numbered cards are very elegant and the indexes are depicted in a very original way framed by shields. Two mocking buffoons decorate the jokers.
For such beautiful cards a stunning tuck case have been created too. It uses a dark blue paper with gold and blue foil for details, embellished with metallic inks and embossing. In addition, a blue swarovski crystal of about 10mm will be embedded in the case that will be closed with a numbered and signed seal.
Finally, 300 decks from the total production will be gilded and offered inside a beautiful metal box.
A work of art that will delight any playing card fan. If you like it, visit the project website and raise your pledge.
Good luck!
