How we started
BIRD PLAYING CARDS was founded in about 1995 (the archivist is unclear) by Nicky Bird. Nicky was the publisher at the V&A and in that time produced a pack of caricature playing cards to accompany the 1983 General Election, featuring the main politicians of the day, including Mrs Thatcher, the PM. They were drawn by Marc, Trog, Gerald Scarfe and John Springs. It caused a flurry of publicity and sold out. Some time after he left the museum Nicky thought he could do the same thing – publish caricature playing cards – with 18 members of the Royal Family.Making fun of royalty
There is a long and noble English practice of mocking royalty. To uphold this tradition, Willie Rushton, wit, cartoonist and co-founder of Private Eye, was asked to draw 18 mildly seditious cartoons. 
Dieter Strehl, the Austrian head of Piatnik, the venerable Viennese games company, saw the originals in a gallery window and wanted to produce the pack. He did. It sold very well and created a nice furore in the media, upsetting Buckingham Palace, who demanded the pack be banned. ‘Fergie’, the Duchess of York, thought her portrait made her look crass.
Dieter Strehl, the Austrian head of Piatnik, the venerable Viennese games company, saw the originals in a gallery window and wanted to produce the pack. He did. It sold very well and created a nice furore in the media, upsetting Buckingham Palace, who demanded the pack be banned. ‘Fergie’, the Duchess of York, thought her portrait made her look crass.From this irreverent start, we have become a publisher of collectable cards (about 150 packs to date – SEE BELOW) that appeal to all brows, both high and low. From the sublime (Leonardo) to the ridiculous (Straight Flush – ‘A light-hearted celebration of vintage water closets, chamber pots… and all things lavatorial’). Some are huge sellers (Banksy, Van Gogh, Monet…) and some are more niche. Subjects include film, music, art, history, fashion, sport… and humour.
The cards
All our PLAYING CARDS are designed by Haime & Butler and manufactured by Piatnik [< Piatnik ad, c1900]. Every card in our packs is illustrated. The cards are poker-sized (90x65mm) and come in a neat tuckbox. For retailers looking for discounts etc. please contact Nicky Bird at nick@nickybirddesign.com
Some recent ART PACKS
1950s
1914-18
1980s
A Day at the Races
Aces High
African American
Air Travel
Ali
American Dream Cars
America’s Cup
Angels
Animals
Art Detail
Art Pack
Art of Alice
Australia Fair
Austria!
Ballet
Banksy
Banksy 2
Battle of Britain
Battleships
Beach Beatles
Beaton’s Royal Family
Bicycle
Birds
Book Covers
Bruegel
Cabarets
Cassatt (Mary)
Cezanne
Chateaux of the Loire
Chocolate
Churchill
Civil War (American)
Classic Cars
Classic Firearms
Come to Britain
Crikey! British Comics
Dawn of Flight
D-Day
Degas
De Gaulle
Deutsches Bier
Dressed for War
Egypt
Elvis
Entertainment
Erotica
Film Noir
Football
Frans Hals
French Resistance
Frida Kahlo
Gangsters
Genius of Nature
German Resistance
Gin
Glory of Venice
Glory Days of Rail
Golden Age of Cruises
Golf (Art of)
Goya
Great War
Greek & Roman Art
Handbags
Hitchcock
Hollywood 1
Hollywood 2
Horror Movies
Horse (Beauty of)
Impressionist Portraits
Inspirational Women
Japanese Prints
Jazz
JFK
Joy of Wine
King & Queens (NPG)
King Charles III
Lautrec (T-L)
Leonardo
Lichtenstein
Lingerie
London
London Transport Posters
Luggage Labels
Man
Modern Art (Guggenheim)
Monarchs
Mondrian
Monet
Motor Racing
Motorbikes
Movie Monsters
Movie Posters
Movie Stars
Mugshots
Napoleon
National Parks
Nelson
New York
Niagara Falls
Nude
Ocean Liners
O’Keeffe
Pin-Ups
Pirates
Presidents
Propaganda
Prosecco
Pubs
Quirky Britain
RAF Centenary
Rail Art
Renoir
Rock & Pop Icons
Rothko
Royal Babies
Royal Brides
Royal Wedding
Rugby
Saucy Seaside (McGill)
Sci-Fi
Sherlock Holmes
Shoes
Sixties
Ski Art
Spies
Stately Homes
Straight Flush
Strike It Lucky
Tanks
The Queen
Titanic
Toy cars
Travel USA
Unshaven
Van Gogh
Vermeer
For Valour: Victoria Cross
Vigée Le Brun
Vintage Comic Art
Viva Italia!
Warplanes
Waterloo
Wild West
Whisky
Willie Rushton’s Pack of Royals
Wine
Women Artists
Wonders of World (2 covers)
World Cup Greats
World War 2
World War One Centenary
Writers & Poets (NPG)
Zodiac