The Playing Cards of Karl Gerich
Karl Alexander Gerich, 23rd April 1956 — 4th January 2016
The material on Karl and his works have
been gleaned from the excellent research
material published by Mike and Daphne Tregear
Karl was extraordinary as he didn't just design playing cards and then leave production to others, no, he persued the whole gamut of the playing card maker's art.
From his original designs he etched the copper plates. From these plates he printed the designs which then had to be hand colored.
Then the tedious job of glueing the finished sheets to the card board and then cutting the cards to size.
He then produced quite fascinating boxes.
Some packs were undertaken as a joint collaboration with his then partner Georgina Harvey until they ended their relationship.
IN OUR OPINION THE FINEST
PLAYING CARD DESIGNER OF THE 20th Century
KG36 - Karl Gerich - Così Fan Tutte Hand Made Playing Cards
KG36, “Così Fan Tutte” is based on Mozart’s opera.
It is complete being 52 cards plus a magnificent “Don Alfonso” Joker housed in a hand made box.
The Courts and Pip Cards are ‘non-standard’
The four suits are
‘a heart shaped locket’ – ‘magnet’ – ‘marriage contract’ -‘poison bottle’ and are taken from the opera.
The kings are the two male lovers in their normal costume and then dressed as Albanians.
The queens are the female leads with their lovers, in and out of disguise, in the background.
The jacks show Despina in and out of her disguises
The aces are embellished with cupids, satyrs, angels and witches.
The Joker is Don Alfonso.
Each card is 85mm x 96mm
The pack was published in an edition of about 13 although a number of proof sheets were also produced for sale.
REF: KG36-1225
£450.00
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WIKI
Così fan tutte, ossia La scuola degli amanti[a] (All Women Do It,
or The School for Lovers), K. 588,
is an opera buffa in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
It was first performed on 26 January 1790 at the Burgtheater in Vienna, Austria.
The libretto was written by Lorenzo Da Ponte who also wrote Le nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni.
Although it is commonly held that Così fan tutte was written and composed at the suggestion of the Emperor Joseph II, recent research does not support this idea.[
There is evidence that Mozart’s contemporary Antonio Salieri tried to set the libretto but left it unfinished.
In 1994, John Rice uncovered two terzetti by Salieri in the Austrian National Library.
The short title, Così fan tutte, literally means “So do they all”, using the feminine plural (tutte) to indicate women.
The research on Karl and his individual packs, part of which is quoted below, has been compiled by
Pack No: 29 “Victoria Playing cards” by Georgina Harvey & Karl Gerich
These cards were designed by Georgina Harvey and printed by Karl Gerich.
The cards have no indices and the double ended courts show a variety of normal day to day activities – Shepard, Mason, Fruit Picker, Botanist and other trades easily discernible.
The pips of the four Kings have golden crowns.
The club and diamond suits are coloured Green and Orange respectively. Some of the pip cards [ shown ] have shades of the dominant colour.
The backs are Pink.
The title card denotes the pack design number and the two people involved in the production.
The double ended joker wears the traditional three cornered hat with the waistband reading VICTORIA
All comes in a hand crafted box with the circular trading of Victoria / PCC /BATH
There were in the region of 20 packs produced.
The research on Karl and his individual packs, part of which is quoted below, has been compiled by
REF:KG36-1225
£300.00
“Cartes Turques Patience” Playing Cards Pack Number KG18
Karl modelled this deck on the Carte Turgues made by Glanz, later editions by van Genechen, Brepols and Piatik.
This is a piquet pack with 32 cards plus a Joker and two extra cards.
The complete deck is housed in a Green Box with a suited label – the card backs are layered with the same material as the green box.
The cards measure 34mm x 63mm
The double ended court cards are all wearing oriental costumes with the men wearing a variety of colorful and patterned massar turbans.
The aces are a delight – three having double headed dragons and the ace of spades being a representation of Adam and Eve with the temptress snake coiled within the design.
The Joker is double ended with a Turkish man sporting the traditional red fez.
The title card give the Issue Number 18 and the name of the pack..
The other spare card also gives the packs number together with the description that it is made by Karl Gerick and his address
It also incorporate Phoenix rising from the ashes with the word ” RESURGAM” from the Latin – I will rise again.
Cards are first class condition and it is believed that only 20 packs were handcrafted.
REF: KG18-1225
£300.00
The research on Karl and his individual packs, part of which is quoted below, has been compiled by
Trappola Francaise 1990 Karl Gerich - KG 15 - Limited Edition
This Limited Edition pack was inspired by Piatnik’s Trappola Pack of c1890 and is 1 of 20 made
The plates were prepared in 1987 but not issued ’till 1990
Etched and Hand Colored with delicate pastoral colours; the Aces are a joy to view.
It is noted by Mike and Daf that Karl found this delightful coloring extremely tedious!
This is a 36 card pack with Three Jokers – one is double ended whilst the other 2 depict a Jester playing with a young woman.
There is also a signed card dated 1 October 1990
The Hearts suits also bear Cups and the Clubs Batons copying the Italian style for Trappola cards
The Aces are really quite wonderful
The cards measure 51mm x 81mm
Housed in a Titled Box – the cards are as issued.
REF: KG15_1225
£475.00
The research on Karl and his individual packs, part of which is quoted below, has been compiled by
KG 10 - Karl Gerich “Four Corners” 1991 Playing Cards
This is Karl’s tenth pack and reflects his admiration for the cards produced by the German firm of B Dondorf.
He has mimicked the “Luxus-Spielkarte Vier-Erdteile [ Four Continents Luxury Playing Cards ] designed by Friedrich Karl Housmann in 1870.
The pack consists of 52 cards plus a Coloured Magic Joker, a blank card a a signed card 3rd May 1990 all in original red box with title card to front.
The Court cards are double ended and represent National figures from various parts of the world.
It is understood that no more than 50 packs, of this very popular topic, were made.
The hand made box is red with the circled inscription
“Handmade in Bath England – Karl Gerich”
The cards measure 44 by 76 mm – All in ‘as produced’ condition.
REF: KG10-1225
£300.00
The research on Karl and his individual packs, part of which is quoted below, has been compiled by
10th ANNIVERSARY OF THE EPCS
TRANSFORMATION DECK NURSERY RHYMES.
DESIGNED AND HAND PRINTED BY KARL GERICH, IN BATH on 5th May 1994
Totally original designs for a transformation deck, hand crafted limited edition, this is number 36 /72, signed by the artist on the title and in gold ink on the inside base of the box and dated 23 April 1994 – he hand made the boxes and playing cards in different batches.
Tradition children’s nursery rhymes are illustrated with cleverly weaved transformations of the pip cards and hand coloured for effect though sets were sold in Black and White
I would struggle to come up with 52 Nursery Rhymes never find to see how I could allocate each to a playing card.
We have handled a couple of these and I am still amazed at the ingenuity
The court cards feature a variety of characters, Mrs Thatcher bringing the pack ‘up to date!’
Colorful de Lux backs
REF: KGNR_36
£750.00
Karl Gerich's Pack No: 27 Limited Edition - Signed
KG27, “Nibelungenkarten”, is a 32-card German suited pack produced in 1994.
The court cards are characters from an opera by Wagner – The Ring of the Nibelungs”
Hand made deck exhibiting the skills of Karl as his best.
The backs are in the luxury style.
The deck is signed inside the library case book with the suits signs on the spine of the box.
Roughly twenty packs were produced.
The research on Karl and his individual packs, part of which is quoted below, has been compiled by
REF: KG27
£425.00
https://gamesetal.shop/karl-gerichs-playing-cards/
This pack draws its design from the Milan Pattern.
Each Ace has a maritime or mythological theme.
It is a complete 32 card pack with red backs in its original box.
The pack and cards are ‘as issues’
Only Six of these packs were produced and although the cards were engraved in 1986 they were not published to 1997.
The research on Karl and his individual packs, part of which is quoted below, has been compiled by
REF: KG13_0126
£475.00
Views of Bath 1993 - Karl Gerich / Georgina Harvey - KG 33 - 1st Edition
Karl Gerich Pack No: 33, Views of Bath – 1992 – 1st Edition
This was a joint collaboration by Karl and Georgina Harvey by the Victoria Playing Card Co.
This is the Piquet, 32 card, pack and only Six Packs were printed
Spectacular single figured Joker – with horns!
The Court Cards are Non-standard in design and are double ended.
The Kings are denoted with a Crown over their head.
The scenic Aces are also double ended but, unlike the Court Cards, they each depicttwo different scenes of Bath.
The cards measure 52mm x 81mm
The 32 cards, plus Joker plus signed edition card are presented in an excellent two part box covered in florentine paper
The condition is as new.
The research on Karl and his individual packs, part of which is quoted below, has been compiled by
REF: KG33FR
£425.00
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