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kevork wrote: ↑Mon Jan 27, 2025 11:40 pm I just realized something: I love that you open them My kind of crazy

I also love the execution. You can tell much thought was put into where things go. Beautiful.

I always thought that decks are meant to be appreciated in every little detail. No point in keeping them under plastic, unless you want to resell (although lotrek decks still have some value even opened). But if I want to make an investment I just call my financial consultant and put some money on something intangible and sad.
Beauty has to be enjoyed.

So I have a bit of a backlog.

Let’s start with a couple.

Dondorf’s patience version of the Four Continents. It’s a mini deck but so detailed and gorgeous.


And Dondorf Forcolor n. 487

The next two decks are the same deck and they are the only tarot decks printed by Dondorf. Both are chromolitography prints made after 1905. (I summon the experts for the dating )

Dondorf Tarot Microscopique N. 245
Despite the name they are tarot size and they come with a full deck of 78 cards and scenic aces.


Dondorf Tarot Microscopique Cego N. 346
Main differences from the previous one are:
the Roman numerals on the Major Arcana,
there are no scenic aces,
deck size is 54 cards, mainly missing most of the pips (red suits have Ace through 4 and black suits have 7 through 10)
More info on the Cego variant: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cego


Both have gilded corners, although my photography skills are really lacking.

Photography skills and taste in playing cards, A-okay.

The next deck is so beautiful I had to squeeze all the cards in the shots.
Thanks to atzenhofer that made me go search for this beauty.

Naipe Español by Mingote, Fournier 1967 (according to the date on the joker)

Great cards! Love this artwork.

Dondorf Fynste Java Speelkaarten no. 17
1879

Dondorf made a game for the Gumprich & Strauss company in Batavia, now Jakarta, whose ace cards refer to Indonesia, the former Dutch East Indies. The kings and queens are members of the Dutch royal family: King of hearts = King William III, Queen of hearts = Queen Emma, ​​née Princess of Waldeck-Pyrmont; King of diamonds = Prince Alexander; Queen of diamonds - Princess Marianne; King of spades = Prince William of Orange; Queen of spades = Princess Sophie; King of clubs = Prince Henry and Queen of clubs = Princess Marie. The jacks, on the other hand, are Dutch soldiers: hearts = artilleryman, diamonds = cavalryman, spades = infantryman, clubs = marines. The game was created to commemorate the second marriage of King William III. with Princess Emma of Waldeck-Pyrmont, on January 7, 1879

Dondorf Stuart Zeit No. 179

Characters in Stuart period costumes, chromolitography. German edition with German suits.
The J of clubs reads B.Dondorf and Frankfurt.

Dondorf Luxus-Whist-Karte no. 158 (Rokoko-Bild)
Probably pre-1906, cause from 1906 they printed indices and added a joker.

Deck has been nicknamed “Rococo” although it doesn’t seems to represent a particular fashion.
It’s one of my favourite Dondorf for the quality of the printing and cleanliness of the colors and lines.

Well, I guess it’s mail day and my Vitaly obsession might be finally at peace.

Finally after years of searching I was able to secure my white whale. I had to get the full set but I’m not complaining, it’s oh so beautiful.