Alta Carta   The Alternative for the
Playing Card Collector
   
Goal  Contact  Who Is
Research  Overview  Collecting
Trade  Statistics  FAQ
 

Suits and Patterns

In our western culture there are five still existing symbols of suits. These are the French, the German, the Swiss and the Latin, which is further subdivided in an Italian and a Spanish system. Of each of these suit systems there are several standard patterns that are still in use. The shown cards are only examples of these patterns. There are minor differences between manufacturers and over time.

The following table shows with what patterns is played with in a selection of countries. The Anglo-American pattern intentionally is left away for countries where there are still regional patterns in use. It only appears for countries where it is the only pattern know.

CountrySuitRegional Pattern
GermanyGermanBavarian
GermanyFrenchBerlin
GermanyGermanDDR
GermanyGermanFranconian
GermanyGermanPrussian
GermanyGermanSaxony
GermanyGermanWurttemberg
AustriaGermanSalzburg
AustriaGermanTell (Seasons)
AustriaFrenchVienna
SwitzerlandSwissSwiss-German
SwitzerlandFrenchSwiss-French
SwitzerlandFrenchLombard (Milan)
LiechtensteinSwissSwiss-German
LiechtensteinGermanSalzburg
ItalyItalianBergamo
ItalyItalianBologna (Primiera Bolognese)
ItalyItalianBrescia
ItalyFrenchFrench (Belgian-Genoese)
ItalyFrenchLombard (Milan)
ItalySpanishNaples
ItalySpanishPiacenza
ItalyFrenchPiemont
ItalySpanishRomagna
ItalyGermanSalzburg
ItalySpanishSardinia
ItalySpanishSicily
ItalyFrenchTuscany (Florence)
ItalienItalianTrento
ItalyItalianTriest
ItalyItalianVenice
SpainSpanishCádiz
SpainSpanishCastilian
SpainSpanishCatalan
FranceFrenchFrench (Belgian-Genoese)
FranceSpanishFrench Catalan
United KingdomFrenchAnglo-American
United StatesFrenchAnglo-American
MexicoSpanishMexican

To see the separate patterns select a suit system first!

The French Suit System (spade, heart, diamond, club)

The German Suit System (heart, bell, leaf, acorn)

The Swiss Suit System (bell, shield, rose, acorn)

The Italian Suit System (coin, cup, sword, wand)

The Spanish Suit System (coin, cup, sword, club)

Continue reading in the chapter about  Card Games!

back