The German navy on deck

The Maker

Hermann Petzoldt was the designer behind the present deck of cards. The publisher’s imprint on Under-Knave of Acorns reads ‘Spielkartenfabriken A.G. Straslsund Vereinigte Stralsunder’. Vereinigte Stralsunder was the name the Altenburg printing firm operated under after merging with two other local playing card companies in 1872. In 1832, two brothers named Bernhard and Otto Bechstein established a small company in Altenberg for the manufacture of French and German playing cards. Remarkably, the firm made no profit until 1840 due to the immense competition from larger factories in neighbouring states. From 1840, however, Altenberg cards became well-known for their good quality and value. The business changed hands numerous times throughout the following century, and remains active today as a market leader of German playing cards.

The Cards

The German navy is honoured on these cards, which show its ships, personnel and leaders during the early years of the First World War. The first edition of this deck consisted of 36 cards, the additional cards being the Sevens and Eights, which showed the Navy’s most important vessels. The deck is distinguished from the former only by the removal of these cards and the printing of the “K” on the Kings, which is here on the border rather than in the centre.

All the Aces show a portrait of Emperor Wilhelm II, and on the Kings are found the rulers of the various German states:

Acorns – Bavaria

Bells – Baden

Hearts – Württemberg Leaves – Saxony

The remaining court cards and the Nines and Tens show the images of men who had contributed the German naval efforts during the war thus far, including Graf von Zeppelin and General Hindenburg.

Altenburger Und Stalsunder Spielkartenfabrik

[German Army WWI playing cards].

Publication

Stralsund, Altenburger und Stralsunder Spielkartenfabrik, [c1916].

Description

32 chromolithograph playing cards, eagle to versos.

Dimensions 101 by 57mm (4 by 2.25 inches).

References

Guiard 19; van den Bergh p.96; Yale 2823/ GER420.