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Album Suisse

This is a pack that was made c.1880 by C. L. Wüst, Frankfurt/Main. It is a souvenir Pack made for Switzerland, and the front of the box shows the coat-of-arms of the cantons, and the back a scene in the Swiss Alps.
Note that there are only 23 cantons shown, the official division of three of the cantons into 'half cantons' happened later. Today there are 26 cantons.

The pack is called 'Album Suisse'. There is no maker's name except on the box, but the maker's trademark is on the Jack of Clubs.

The court cards show two costumes each from different Swiss cantons, together with their coat-of-arms and the name. The aces show two named views from Switzerland. Note that the cards are smaller than usual.

The special thing is that it is a true souvenir pack that cannot really be used for card playing as each back shows a different view from Switzerland, so that the cards can be distinguished from their backs. I am showing four examples.

There are at least two different editions of the pack. They have two aces interchanged, and the names on some court cards are in upper case letters. I am showing a comparison in the bottom row. Additionally, some backs have been re-arranged.


© Peter Endebrock, 01 Apr. 2025