​​my playing card collection

The cards shown here are a double imaged standard French pattern designed by Nicholas Marie Gatteaux, a French sculptor and engraver. The single image pattern was designed in 1813 by Nicolas Marie Gatteaux and his name can be found in the centre of the sheild on the Jack of Clubs. His designs were based on earlier versions of the Parisian pattern and they became the official French pattern in 1813. In 1827 Gatteaux designed a double imaged pattern as shown here and this was the official French pattern until 1945. Until that year it was forbidden to make changes to the pattern. Pre-1945 variations on the standard French pattern such as the Genoese pattern were not made in France, but by manufacturers from other countries.  

The cards have an 1890 tax stamp, and are imprinted Gattteaux 1853. All cards have the official French watermark and shiny gold corners (quite worn on this deck). There are no indices or numbers on the cards. The deck was probably published around 1900, but could have been printed earlier.