The Makers

Johan Georg Steiger took over the firm of J. R. Hoffmann at Breuner Strasse No. 1132, Vienna, from which he produced and sold playing cards throughout the 1820s, 1830s and 1840s. Steiger published several decks of tarot cards, including one allegorical deck and one Industrie und Glück deck, as here.

The Cards

Industrie und Glück (Diligence and Fortune) decks were developed in the nineteenth century in the Austro-Hungarian Empire for playing tarock. Using the French suits of Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts and Spades, the King, Queen and Jack are accompanied by a Cavalier; in the red suits, cards Five to Ten are removed, and in the black, cards Ace to Six. 22 trump cards are added for a total of 54, making the deck quite unlike any other. Apart from the court cards, which have double-figure characters, the cards are illustrated with scenes of rural life, with VII here showing a woman fishing on one half and a picnic scene on the other. These cards all have their values identified with large Roman numerals.