​​my playing card collection

German suited cards in Austria are usually of the William Tell pattern, in which the picture cards show characters from the William Tell legend and the aces depict the four seasons of the year. These are sold as "Doppeldeutsche Karten" - "double" because like most modern cards they are double headed - the pattern is the same at each end. This is in contrast to "Einfachdeutsche Karten", in which a single pattern occupies the full length of the card. These are also (confusingly) known as the Salzburg pattern, though they are used mainly in the mountainous Western provinces of Vorarlberg and Tirol, and as Jass cards, because in Vorarlberg they are used to play Jass, though they look quite different from the cards used to play the same games in Switzerland.

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​The most well known manufacturer in Austria is Ferd. Piatnik & Söhne (A. G.), a Viennese playing card company started in 1824 by Anton Moser. Ferdinand Piatnik took over in 1843, marrying Moser's widow a few years later. Piatnik's three sons joined the ranks in 1882 adding their names to their father's company name. Ferdinand died in 1885 leaving the successful business to his sons and his widow. By the turn of the 19th century, Ferd. Piatnik & Söhne began to expand, purchasing a sister company known as Ritter & Cie (Prague). Piatnik & Söhne are still in business today.