This sheet contains a full deck of Siciliane cards by Edoardo Pignalosa. The pattern refers geographically to the island of Sicily, but these cards are really played with in many areas of southern Italy, almost as much as the Napoletane, with whom they also share many similarities, as they both belong to the group of patterns that sprang from a Spanish design. The Siciliane cards are rather small in size, and the sheet measures 53.5 x 34 cm (21 x 13½ in).

The pattern is known for some tiny figurines that decorate the pip cards, sometimes with an obscure meaning, such as the dog on the 4 of Swords, which holds what looks like a 7 of Coins.

		Another interesting detail still found in Pignalosa's edition, is the head of general Garibaldi, a national hero, on the 5 of Coins; in all modern editions, this obsolete feature has been replaced with an allegorical figure driving a chariot. The presence of female knaves - at least two of them look like young women - provides a loose connection also with the Sicilian tarot (see the relevant gallery in the Tarot section), whose design is quite different from the Sicilian regional cards, although both patterns use the Latin suit system.

		The manufacturer's name is mentioned on the ace of Coins, as well as on the 4 of the same suit (but only the former features the address). The backs of this edition, in black and white, are decorated with a floral motif and heads, enclosed by a frame. An inscription on the edge likely refers to a date: July 18, 1946.

---

other pages in this gallery: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 9 |

---

OTHER GALLERIES




or back to

INTRODUCTION AND HISTORY	MULTI-LANGUAGE GLOSSARY	THE FOOL & THE JOKER	INDEX TABLE	REGIONAL GAMES	PLAYING CARD LINKS