gejus-07-10

I just came home from a very pleasant and interesting annual convention of the International Playing Card Society. This year the beautiful city of Ravenna in Italy was the place to be. 109 people, members and partners, attended the convention on September 28, 29 and 30. The event was well organized, with a nice mixture of trading, lectures, culture and social contacts. One of the presentations on Saturday September 29, was a true treat for me. Italian collector Giulliano Crippa had prepared a talk about secondary used playing cards in Italy! He presented it as a supplement to my book, that does not show cards from Italy.

There is a good explanation for the absence of Italian secondary used cards in my book: I do not have any in my collection. Much to my surprise Giuliano showed several examples of Italian secondary used cards. Unfortunately the pictures on slides were not of the right quality, or the projector did not work properly, but copies of the visuals were included in the text on paper, that was part of the convention "goodies" we all received.

I enjoyed the presentation very much. Most of the kind of secondary use in Italy looks the same as in France. Like in France in some regions of Italy playing card backs were not printed, so that made secondary use very easy. I noticed the way the Italian cards were written is very similar to the French way of writing on card backs.

During the trading session at the convention Giulliano Crippa offered me an incomplete pack of cards (46 of 52) produced in Mailand, Italy, in the second half of the 18th century. On the backs a Question and Answer game is written. Although I had to negotiate about the price, I could not resist. So now I can proudly show you some cards of my very first Italian secondary used set of playing cards.

French type playing cards produced in Mailand by LRPFDCM around 1770.

Most Question and Answer games do not have illustrations, just text. Therefore they are not popular to collect, but I love them. One has top take the time to read the questions and answers to find out what interesting historical documents these Question and Answer games are. I have a nice collection of these games, so the Italian cards are double welcome: they fit into my collection of secondary used cards as well as in my collection of Question and Answer games.

The game of Question and Answer is fairly simple, but amusing. It is a game for a girl and a boy (or a woman and a man). The male player receives the cards with questions, shuffles them and keeps the pile, backs up, in front of him. The female player does the same with the answer cards. Now the male player turns the card on top and reads the question. Then the female player takes the card on top of her pile and reads the answer. Because of the mostly silly questions and the answers that do not match with the questions, the game caused many laughter. In the past that is, for this game has long lost its amusement value. I find it fascinating to read what questions were fashionable in the past. I still have to translate the Italian cards, but a typical question in old games like this is for instance "Do you like green pea soup?". The answer could be "Only by full moon". Believe it or not, in past times this combination was highly amusing. In my opinion Question and Answer games were used to practice conversation between young people.

French type playing cards produced in Mailand by LRPFDCM around 1770.

According to the questions, 250 to 200 years ago the game has first been focusing on young adults. After 1900 it becomes a game for younger children. During the sixties and seventies of the 20th century the sexual revolution is reflected in question and answer games for adults, with very direct questions as prelude for sex parties. However also Bible based question and answer games have been produced.
I have a few examples of hand made Question and Answer games on playing cards, in English, French and Dutch. And now....in Italian!

At the I.P.C.S. convention in Ravenna I was also able to buy a few highly interesting French secondary used cards. I need some time to research them, but one day on this site I will show you these new additions to my collections.

Next year the convention of the I.P.C.S. will be held in the Netherlands on September 5, 6 and 7, 2008. You are all invited!