Terminologie und Datenmodell

Terminologie und Datenmodell

This page is the wiki's map: it explains in plain language which building blocks a playing-card entry consists of and how they relate — as an introduction before diving into the data.

The most common stumbling block first: for playing cards, suit system, pattern and card type are often lumped together. The wiki deliberately keeps them apart as five separate characteristics.

The five characteristics of a pack

A pack is described by five characteristics — the first four independent of each other, the theme as a design motif cutting across them. Telling them apart is the core of this page: Hausler already warns that the German word „Blatt“ is unfortunately ambiguous (sometimes the suit Grün, i.e. Leaves, sometimes the hand, sometimes the number of cards) — as a characteristic it means the suit system.

Characteristic	means (after Hausler)	Examples in the wiki
Suit system (Blatt)	The suit system of a card set: the group of four suits that belong together (German, French, Italian, Swiss …). It determines which suits and which court cards a pack has.	deutsches Blatt, französisches Blatt, italienisches Blatt
Suit	A single suit within the suit system — a group of cards belonging together, named after its suit mark.	Kreuz (Treff), Pik, Herz, Karo (französisch); Eichel, Grün (= Laub/Gras), Herz, Schellen (deutsch); Becher, Münze, Schwert, Stab (italienisch)
Pattern	The standardised look of a card set — figures, suit marks, decoration, shape and size of the cards; usually with a regional connection.	Wiener Bild, Bayerisches Bild
Card type (type of game)	The game or pack family a set of cards is made for (tarot, Trappola or Whist packs, fortune-telling cards, educational cards, non-European playing cards or multi-purpose standard cards) — not the individual pack.	Schnaps, Tarock, Trappola, Whist, Wahrsagekarten, Standardkarten, Lehrkarten, Außereuropäische Spielkarten
Theme (motif)	The design theme of a series — the subject that (especially with tarot) is systematically applied to the trumps. Its own tagging axis, cutting across suit system, pattern and card type.	Tier-, Veduten-, Mythologie-, Werbe-Motiv (Industrie und Glück zählt dagegen als Bild, s. u.)

The key distinction: “tarot is a card type, not a suit system”

Tarot is a card type (a kind of game), not a suit system. A tarot pack can have a French or an Italian suit system — the structure of trumps and Fool belongs to the card type, not to the suit system. Anyone filing „tarot“ under „suit system“ is looking at the wrong characteristic.

And two subtleties that are often mixed up:

• Pattern is not card type: the Vienna pattern means the look of the cards (a characteristic of its own), not the game family.
• Theme is not pattern: the wiki carries a recognised, standardised court pattern (such as Industrie und Glück) as a pattern; the freely chosen subject on the trumps (animals, views, advertising), by contrast, as a theme (motif) — its own axis cutting across all the others.

The known values for each characteristic — suit systems, patterns, game families and tarot themes — are listed below under “known combinations”. This list is editorially maintained (sources: Hausler, Alscher), deliberately incomplete, and grows by hand.

Bekannte Kombinationen

Welche Werte je Merkmal sind belegt — und welche treten zusammen auf? Quellen: Hausler, „Trommler und Pfeiffer"; Alscher, „Tarock — mein einziges Vergnügen"; ergänzt um französische Standardbilder sowie Radau/Himmelheber, „Spielkarten" (Kataloge des Bayerischen Nationalmuseums Bd. 21, 1991). Redaktionell gepflegt und bewusst unvollständig — leere Felder = nicht (sicher) bekannt; bitte von Hand ergänzen. Der Generator rührt diesen Abschnitt nicht an.

Kartentyp (Spielart)	Blatt (Farbsystem)	Bild	Anzahl Karten	Entstehung (ca.)	Kennzeichen
Standardkarten	deutsch	Augsburger Bild	48	um 1450	ältestes bayerisches Standardbild; Gras-Ober mit Dudelsack
Standardkarten	deutsch	Frühes Altbayerisches Bild	36	um 1650	Übergang zum 36-Blatt; Gras-Ober Trommel, -Unter Querflöte
Standardkarten	deutsch	Spätes Altbayerisches Bild	36	um 1750	erstmals bebilderte Dausen; Könige mit Thronschild
Standardkarten	deutsch	Bayerisches Bild	36	um 1810	Herz-König-Thronschild = Herstellerangabe
Standardkarten	deutsch	Bayerisches Isarkreis-Bild	36	um 1820	Typ „Sultan" vs. Typ „Kaiser" (Gras-König)
Standardkarten	deutsch	Bayerisches Bild aus Stralsund	36	um 1885	norddeutsche Produktion in Fantasiekleidung
Standardkarten	deutsch	Salzburger Bild	36	seit 1850	Bayerisches Bild + Isarkreis „Kaiser"; Schellen-6 → WELI
Standardkarten	deutsch	Bayerisches Bild in Tirol	36	um 1860	Konglomerat wie Salzburger; Herz-König mit Anker
Standardkarten	deutsch	Älteres Tiroler Bild	36	um 1790	„Vogel Selbsterkenntnis"; Eichel-Ober/Unter unbewaffnet
Standardkarten	deutsch	Jüngeres Tiroler Bild	36	um 1850	bäuerliche Daus-Motive; Schellen-6 = WELI
Standardkarten	deutsch	Regensburger Bild	36	um 1730	Eichel-Daus Löwe mit zwei Schilden + Hersteller-Initialen
Standardkarten	deutsch	Böhmisches Bild	32	seit 1800	alle Könige mit Turban; Holzschnitt-Anmutung
Standardkarten	deutsch	Nürnberger Adlerkarte	36	um 1800	Wappen-Könige; Gras-König Reichswappen (Doppeladler)
Standardkarten	deutsch	Fränkisches Bild	36	um 1840	Herz Ober/Unter mit Hellebarden; „Verkehrte Welt"
Standardkarten	deutsch	Bayerisch-Schwäbisches Bild	36	um 1850	ohne Thronschild; Häuser/Brücken auf den Zahlenkarten
Standardkarten	deutsch	Bayerisches Soldatenbild	36	um 1830	uniformierte Ober/Unter; soldatische Zahlenkarten
Standardkarten	deutsch	Altbayerisches Bild in Polen/Russland	36	um 1790	Export-/Lizenzform; ab 1840 russische Eigenproduktion
Standardkarten	deutsch	Ansbacher Bild	36	um 1600	Einfachbild; sitzender Löwe auf Eichel-Daus mit Herstellername; aus dem Ulm-Münchner Bild; im Ansbach-Nürnberger Raum bis 1945
Gaigel / Sechsundsechzig	deutsch	Wallersteiner Bild	24	um 1830	Doppelbild; Name von Himmelheber eingeführt; Pfeife rauchender Laub-Unter mit Kegelkugel; bis um 1880 in Bayern
Standardkarten	deutsch	Sächsisches Bild (Schwerterkarte)			Laub-Daus mit sächsischem Wappen; Vorbild des Brünner Bildes
Standardkarten	deutsch	Brünner Bild		um 1885	mährische Variante des sächsischen Bildes; mährisches Wappen auf Laub-Daus, einige Figuren seitenverkehrt
Standardkarten	deutsch	Lemberger Bild (Mohren-/Polnische Nationalkarte)	36	19. Jh.	Mohren-Motive auf Zahlen- und Bildkarten; bis heute in Polen gebräuchlich
Standardkarten	französisch	Wiener Bild		19. Jh.	biedermeierlicher Stil; Könige mit Bügelkronen (Piatnik)
Standardkarten	französisch	Berliner Bild (= Preußisches Bild)		um 1830	doppelköpfig; Könige mit Zepter; heute Turnierskat-Standard
Standardkarten	französisch	Französisches Bild (Pariser Bild)		Mitte 17. Jh.	Figurennamen (David/Judith/Hector); 1813 „Portrait Officiel"
Standardkarten	französisch	Anglo-Amerikanisches Bild		19. Jh.	große Eck-Indizes; „Selbstmord-König"; einäugige Buben
Standardkarten	französisch	Altenburger Bild		Ende 19. Jh.	verwandt mit Berliner Bild; „Inbegriff" der Skatkarte
Standardkarten	französisch	Turnier-Bild (Vierfarbenblatt)		2002	Kreuz grün / Karo blau gegen Verwechslung (DSV)
Standardkarten	französisch	Norddeutsches Bild (Schwerterbild)		18. Jh.	einköpfig; große Schwerter; vom Berliner Bild verdrängt
Standardkarten	französisch	Rheinisches Bild		Mitte 19. Jh.	farbenfrohe Renaissance-Kostüme; Damen mit Blumen
Standardkarten	französisch	Lyoner Bild	52	um 1780	großflächige, raumfüllende Figuren; Herz-König mit Schriftstück; über die Schweiz nach Süddeutschland; Vorläufer des Wiener Bildes
Binokel/Gaigel	französisch	Württembergisches Bild (Württembergisch-Pfälzisches Bild)	24/48	um 1860–1875	württembergisch-pfälzisches Spieldeck, oft mit Aufdruck „Binokel"/„Gaigel" (Gaigel 24, Binokel 48 = doppeltes 24-Blatt); aus dem Cego (verkürztes Tarock mit frz. Farben) entstanden, daher Unter als Reiter
Standardkarten	italienisch	Triester Bild	52	um 1885	Doppelbild; Bildkarten im Mittelsteg beschriftet, Einsen mit Versen; Wiener Produktion (Nejedly) für Triest
Tarock	französisch	Industrie und Glück	54	~1824	österreichisches Standard-Tarock, Doppelbild
Tarock	italienisch	Tarot de Marseille	78		Urform, römisch nummerierte Trümpfe
Tarock	italienisch	Tarot de Besançon			Jupiter/Juno statt Papst/Päpstin (dt. Raum/Schweiz)
Tarock	italienisch	Belgisches Bacchus-Tarock			Papst/Päpstin ersetzt durch Bacchus + Capitano Fracasse
Tarock	italienisch	Tarocco Piemontese	78		heutiges italienisches Tarock, Doppelbild
Tarock	italienisch	Tarocchino Bolognese	62		vier Mori statt Papi
Tarock	italienisch-portug.	Minchiate	97		Florenz; 40 Trümpfe
Tarock	portugiesisch	Tarocco Siciliano	63/64		Papst/Päpstin ersetzt
Tarock	italienisch	Schweizer Tarock 1JJ			Weiterentwicklung des Besançon (Jupiter/Juno = 1JJ)
Trappola	italienisch		36		As/König/Reiter/Bube/10/9/8/7/2
Whist	französisch		52
Piquet	französisch		32		7er aufwärts
L’Hombre	spanisch		40
Cego	französisch			um 1860–1875	badisch-württembergische, verkürzte Tarock-Form mit französischen Farben; prägte das Württembergische Bild (Unter als Reiter)
Schnaps/Schnapsen	deutsch (Doppeldeutsch)
Wahrsagekarten	(variabel)				Karten zum Wahrsagen/Kartenlegen statt zum Spielen (Lenormand-, Aufschlag-/Kartenlegekarten); eigener Pack-Typ
Familienspiele	ohne Farbzeichen				Quartett, Schwarzer Peter …

Aus Radau/Himmelheber, „Spielkarten" (1991) ergänzt: Ansbacher · Wallersteiner · Sächsisches (Schwerterkarte) · Brünner · Lemberger · Lyoner · Triester Bild sowie das Württembergische Bild (französische Farben, aus dem Cego). — Zur Benennung des süddeutsch-französischen „Frankfurter Bildes" siehe Radau, Das Blatt 69 (2024).

Über diese belegte Auswahl hinaus kennt das Wiki ein deutlich größeres internationales Bild-Korpus aus Sylvia Mann, „Alle Karten auf den Tisch" (1990) — rund siebzig weitere Standardbilder aus ganz Europa (etwa Englisches, Belgisches, Rouener, Hamburger, Schweizer National-, DDR-Bild). Sie sind hier bewusst nicht einzeln aufgeführt, weil zu ihnen oft nur Name und Farbsystem belegt sind; sie stehen aber als eigene Bild-Items im Datenbestand.

Systematische Tarock-Motive (eigenes Merkmal „Thema", v. a. auf die Trümpfe gelegt — Auswahl aus Alscher): Tiertarock · Jagdtarock · Vedutentarock · Mythologietarock · Nationalitätentarock · Berufetarock · Genreszenentarock · Militärtarock (Soldatentarock) · Historientarock · Constitutionstarock · Narrentarock · Touristentarock · Literaturtarock · Theatertarock (Kostümtarock) · Tanztarock · Ornamenttarock · Werbetarock · Jugendstiltarock · Slawisches Tarock.

Farbsysteme und ihre Farben

Farbsystem	Farben
deutsch	Eichel · Grün (Laub/Gras) · Herz · Schellen
französisch	Kreuz (Treff) · Pik · Herz · Karo
italienisch	Becher · Münze · Schwert · Stab
spanisch	Becher · Münze · Schwert · Stab (Höfe König/Reiter/Bube, ohne Dame)
schweizer	Eichel · Schellen · Schilten · Rosen
portugiesisch	lateinische Farben (gerade Schwerter); heute nur noch im Tarocco Siciliano

The other building blocks

Around the pack item, the wiki links these entities:

Maker (person, family, firm)

Who made the cards. Makers form family trees: workshop transitions hang together via „successor“ / „predecessor“. Example from Salzburg: Joseph Traunwiser → Ignatz Preisinger (workshop succession).

Tax system and tax stamp

Playing cards were subject to tax. A tax system (e.g. Österr. Stempelpatent 1808) applies for a period in a territory; the individual tax stamps (e.g. 10 Kr. Wien 1850, valid 1850–1857, location Vienna) carry place and period of validity directly. Because stamps are dated, they are a dating aid for packs. → All tax systems

Historical geography (country, region, place)

Where a maker was based — in historical geography. Places roll up via „historically part of“ (time-dated) to region and country; a second layer „is currently in“ connects them to the present-day state. Example: Prag was located in Königreich Böhmen and is located today in Tschechien. → Historical geography

Source and reference

Statements are referenced wherever possible. Via stated in, a fact points to its source — in the DACH playing-card field mainly Wolfgang Altfahrt, mpcia.at. That keeps it traceable where a statement comes from.

Advertising and commissioned packs

Some packs were not made for sale under the maker's own name but as advertising or commissioned work: a firm has cards made with its logo and gives them away. Then maker and client are different — and the wiki keeps them separate.

Maker

who actually printed or made the cards (e.g. Modiano, Trieste). If the printing house is anonymous — common with cheap commissioned goods — the maker stays unknown, instead of entering a made-up one.

Client (commissioned by)

the advertising firm whose logo the pack carries (e.g. Petrol or the Studentenservice Maribor). It did not make the pack, only commissioned it.

Where an advertising pack comes from is determined by the client, not by the printing house: a Petrol pack printed in China is a Slovenian advertising pack and appears under Slovenia — the printing house remains a note on the maker. The pack itself is unaffected by this: an advertising tarot remains a tarot with its suit system and pattern — advertising is only its motif.

The data model in detail

After the definitions above, here is the complete set: every item type with all its fields. For the pack, a third column with the known values (alias in italics in brackets) is added — it is generated from the real data and updated on the next run.

Pack

The centre of the wiki. The four classification axes (card type, suit system, pattern, theme) are explained above under »The five characteristics«; here is the complete set with all known values.

Field	Meaning	Known values (alias in brackets)
Name	Designation of the entry.
Also known as	Other name variants and spellings (alias).
Maker	Who made the cards — incl. state of knowledge (known / unknown after investigation / attributed).
Client (commissioned by)	Client for advertising or commissioned packs (whose logo the pack carries).
Printer	Printing house, if different from the maker.
Card type	Type of game or pack family (tarot, Trappola, Whist, educational cards, non-European playing cards …).	Außereuropäische Spielkarten · Cego · Cuccù (Cambio, Coucou, Cuccu, Cucu, Cucù, Gambio, Gnau, Gnav, Hexeln, Hexeln/Cucu, Hexenkarten, Hexenspiel, jeu du coucou, Kamfio, Kille, Killekort, Kuckuckspiel, Vogel- oder Hexen-Karte, Vogelspiel) · Familienspiele · Gaigel (Mariage, Sechsundsechzig) · Lehrkarten · L’Hombre · Piquet · Schnaps/Doppeldeutsch · Standardkarten (Gebrauchskarten, Standardblatt) · Tarock (Tarocchi, Tarot) · Trappola · Wahrsagekarten (Aufschlagkarten, Kartenlegekarten, Lenormandkarten) · Whist
Suit system	The suit system of the card set.	deutsches Blatt · französisches Blatt · italienisches Blatt (lateinisches Blatt, Trappola-Blatt) · portugiesisches Blatt · schweizer Blatt · spanisches Blatt (spanisch-katalanisches Blatt)
Suit (within the suit system)	The individual suits belonging to the suit system — not a statement of the pack itself, but part of the suit-system structure.	Becher (Coppe, Kelch) · Eichel · Grün (Blatt, Gras, Laub) · Herz (Rot) · Karo · Kreuz (Treff) · Münze (Denar, Denari, Münzen, Scheibe) · Pik · Rosen · Schellen · Schilten · Schwert (Schwerter, Spade) · Stab (Bastoni, Stäbe, Stecken) · andere
Rank (within the suit system)	The card values/ranks in the suit system — likewise part of the suit-system structure.	Acht · Dame (Donna, Königin, Regina) · Daus (Ass) · Drei · Fünf · Joker · König · Neun · Ober (Obermann) · Page (Fante, Fantina, Knabe, Fantine) · Reiter (Cavalier, Cavall, Cavallo, Reiter, Ritter) · Sechs · Sieben · Unter (Bube, Untermann) · Vier · Zehn · Zwei
Pattern	Standardised court pattern (Vienna pattern …).	146 Werte — vollständige Liste mit Aliasen
Theme	Design motif, mainly on tarot trumps — its own axis, cutting across suit system/pattern/card type.	Berufetarock (Tarock mit Berufsdarstellungen) · Chinesen-Meeresfabelwesen-Tarock · Constitutionstarock · Erdteil-Tarock · Genreszenentarock · Historientarock (Geschichtstarock) · Jagdtarock · Jugendstiltarock (Art-déco-Tarock) · Kunsttarock · Literaturtarock · Militärtarock (Soldatentarock) · Mythologietarock · Narrentarock · Nationalitätentarock · Ornamenttarock · Slawisches Tarock · Sprichwörtertarock · Tanztarock · Theatertarock (Kostümtarock, Masken-Tarock, Opern-Kostüm-Tarock) · Tiertarock · Touristentarock · Vedutentarock · Volkstrachten · Werbetarock
Figure type	Single-figure or double-ended — exactly one on the pack, because a pack can only be the one or the other. On the pattern both may appear: the same pattern often occurred in both forms. There each value is called »attested« — if only one is given, the other form is not ruled out.	Doppelbild (Doppelköpfige, zweiköpfig) · Einfachbild (Einköpfige, Ganzbild, einbildrig, ganzbildrig)
Number of cards	Number of cards in the pack.
Dimensions	Height × width of a card (mm).
Completeness	Whether the piece is physically complete or incomplete.	komplett · unvollständig
place of origin	Historical place of origin — the only geo axis on the pack.
Date of publication	Dating of the pack (incl. uncertainty from–to).
bears tax stamp	Printed tax stamps — a dating aid.
Described in	Literature that describes the pack (with catalogue no./page).
Collection	Collection that holds the piece (with inventory number).
Source	References for the statements.
Images	Pictures (gallery) of the pack.
Rights status	Image-rights gate: controls whether pictures may be shown.

Card pattern (standard pattern)

The standardised look of a card set — Salzburg pattern, Vienna pattern, Industrie und Glück. It is a separate entry with its own profile: a pack says »I show this card pattern«, the card pattern says where it comes from and since when it has existed.

Field	Meaning	Known values (alias in brackets)
Name	Designation of the entry.
Also known as	Other name variants and spellings (alias).
Suit system	The suit system in which this pattern is drawn — the same information as on the pack, but here given for the pattern itself.	deutsches Blatt · französisches Blatt · italienisches Blatt (lateinisches Blatt, Trappola-Blatt) · portugiesisches Blatt · schweizer Blatt · spanisches Blatt (spanisch-katalanisches Blatt)
Date of origin	When the card pattern arose. Almost always uncertain: »1450 (circa)« means »roughly then«, »after 1850« means »attested from then at the latest, open upwards«.
Place of origin	Where it arose — a place or an area. Given only where a source really names the place; a card pattern is not always named after its place of origin. Not to be confused with the area of use (where it was played with; the story remains prose on the page, today it is under »in use in«): the Bavarian pattern from Stralsund arose in Stralsund and was played in Bavaria.
in use until	Until when the card pattern was played — a year, if a source names it. A missing entry does not mean »until today«: it is also missing when there is simply no information yet. Not to be confused with »in use in« (where, not until when).
in use in	Where the card pattern is used today — the present-day region or state. Each source gets its own statement with a reference year; if two sources draw the boundary differently, both stand side by side. A sub-area (»only South Tyrol«) is given as an explanation alongside.
Figure type (attested)	Single-figure or double-ended. Here both may appear: the same pattern often occurred in both forms. Each value is called »attested«: if only single-figure is given, a double-ended version may nonetheless have existed — the entry says nothing about that.	Doppelbild (Doppelköpfige, zweiköpfig) · Einfachbild (Einköpfige, Ganzbild, einbildrig, ganzbildrig)
IPCS pattern sheet number	The running number of this card pattern at the International Playing-Card Society (i-p-c-s.org) — and, if the society formerly named the pattern differently, its old designation (e.g. »F-1.41«, »XP6«). Both may stand side by side. In an old designation, the letter denotes the suit system (F = French, G = German, I = Italian, IP = Italo-Portuguese, S = Spanish, Sw = Swiss; an appended T a tarot pack), and all digits after it map the descent: »F-1« is the Old Paris pattern itself, »F-1.41« a descendant of it. A pattern family cannot be read off from a designation.
Identifying card	The card position(s) by which this card pattern is recognised — »where to look«, not »what is seen there« (that is given as text alongside, with a source reference). This row names the primary features. »6 of Hearts or 7 of Acorns« means: the feature is on the one card or the other. If there are photos from packs with this card pattern, the page shows them alongside. Not to be confused with the prescribed stamped card (a tax regulation) or the position of an individual tax stamp.
Secondary feature	A card position with a supplementary feature of this card pattern. A secondary feature alone is not enough to determine the card pattern — only together with the identifying cards.
Features not classified by the source	Identifying cards from a source that itself does not distinguish between primary and secondary feature (many catalogues do not). They stand in their own row, because we do not impute a classification the author never made. That is different from »not yet classified«: for these cards the classification is not open, but simply not provided for in the source.
type of	Some card patterns are more precisely determined forms of another: the Early and the Later Tyrol pattern are both »Tyrol pattern«, the Munich and the Stralsund type both »Bavarian pattern«. This statement records that — and the search takes it into account: whoever chooses the umbrella term also gets the packs of its types. On the page they are listed separately: first the packs with exactly this card pattern, then those with one of its types. In the literature such types are also called »variants«, »scheme« or »subtype« — the same thing is meant. Not to be confused with descent: the Tyrol pattern descends from the Old Bavarian one, but a Tyrolean pack is therefore not an Old Bavarian one.
member of pattern family	The pattern family this card pattern belongs to — a group of related card patterns that a source names, e.g. Hausler's »family of Bavarian card patterns«. A family is itself not a card pattern: no pack can show it, a pack belongs to it via its card pattern. The family's page therefore also counts the packs whose card pattern is a type of one of its members. Not to be confused with descent: the family says which patterns belong together — which arose from which is a separate statement.
derived from	The card pattern — or the event, e.g. a law — from which this card pattern historically arose. If several are given, it arose from several. »unknown ancestor« means: a source requires a precursor that nobody can determine; »presumably« means: the derivation is not certain. Unlike with the type, nothing carries over about the ancestor: a pack with this card pattern is not a pack of the ancestor and does not appear on its page. When the derivation happened is given by the date of origin.
Card patterns derived from this	Not a field, but a section of the page: the card patterns that descend from this card pattern — without their packs, since those do not show this card pattern.
Suspected duplicate	Not a field, but a box at the top of the page: a source suggests that this entry and another mean the same card pattern — two entries for one thing. Only the suspicion is referenced, not the identity; a human must decide. As long as it is open, no new information should be attached to either entry. A checked and dismissed suspicion remains as a brief note, so it is not proposed again. In the data object the statement is called »possibly identical to«.
Concordance	Not a field, but a section of the page: where this card pattern is found in the literature and under what number it is listed there — IPCS pattern sheet number, catalogue number, page reference. It shows only works from which something has already been taken over here, and is therefore not a complete bibliography.
How do you recognise it?	Also a section of the page, not a field: the identifying features in words, with a source reference. Where the source does so, its two-part division is kept — primary features determine the pattern, secondary features support and date the determination. This text is not generated automatically; it is written by hand and may be extended by hand.

Pattern family

A named group of related card patterns — as a source calls it, e.g. Hausler's »family of Bavarian card patterns«. It is not a card pattern itself and therefore appears in no pack; a pack belongs to it via its card pattern. A family is only created where a source names it.

Field	Meaning
Name	Designation of the entry.
Also known as	Other name variants and spellings (alias).
Card patterns of this family	Not a field, but a section of the page: the card patterns entered as members of this family. The types of a member are not listed individually within it — they belong via their parent pattern.
Packs of the family	Also a section: the number of packs whose card pattern is a member of the family or a type of a member, with a link to the pack search with this family preselected — no more table on the page itself (Martin, 2026-09-20: »that would go on forever«).
Source(s)	The publication that names this family, with page reference.

Event

A historical process — a law, a decree — from which a card pattern arose, for instance a regulation that made a card pattern mandatory. An event appears in no pack: no pack shows a decree. It is only created where a card pattern descends from it.

Field	Meaning
Name	Designation of the entry.
Also known as	Other name variants and spellings (alias).
Point in time	When the event took place — often uncertain, just like the date of origin of a card pattern.
Card patterns descending from this event	Not a field, but a section of the page. Their packs do not appear in it.
Source(s)	The publication that documents the event, with page reference.

Maker (person, firm, workshop)

Who made the cards. People carry a first/last name, firms a firm name. Workshop family trees arise via predecessor/successor.

Field	Meaning
Name	Designation of the entry.
Also known as	Other name variants and spellings (alias).
First name	First name (for people).
Last name	Last name (for people).
active in	Place of activity with period — the historical geography in which the actor was active.
Family tree	Workshop genealogy: predecessor and successor (who took over the workshop).
Relative	Family connection to another actor.
Date of birth	Year of birth (person).
Date of death	Year of death (person).
Date of founding	Year of founding (firm or workshop).
Date of dissolution	Year of dissolution (firm or workshop).
Reference URL	Web link to the source (e.g. the mpcia.at page).
Described in	Literature that describes this actor.
Source	References for the statements.
Rights status	Image-rights gate.

Tax system

The legal framework of a playing-card tax — applies for a period in a territory; individual tax stamps hang beneath it.

Field	Meaning
Name	Designation of the entry.
Also known as	Other name variants and spellings (alias).
Validity	From–to: the period in which the system applied.
Sovereign	State/country that levied the tax.
Part of	Superordinate system, if nested.

Tax stamp

The individual printed stamp. Because it is dated and located, it is a dating aid for packs.

Field	Meaning
Name	Designation of the entry.
Also known as	Other name variants and spellings (alias).
Part of	Tax system or tax office to which the stamp belongs.
Tariff value	Tax amount (e.g. 10 kreuzer).
Validity	From–to: the period in which the stamp was valid.
Location	Place where it was stamped.
Year	Year embossed in the stamp.
Shape variant	Variant of the stamp shape.
Tariff category	Literal tariff category (historical spelling).
Motif variant	Variant of the pictorial motif (heraldic animal/eagle …).
Spelling variant	Orthographic variant of the stamp lettering.
Stamp colour	Colour of the stamp ink (≠ suit).
Rights status	Image-rights gate.
Images	Stamp photos (gallery).

Historical geography (country, region, place)

Where a maker was based — in historical geography. Places roll up via »historically part of« (time-dated) to region and country.

Field	Meaning
Name	Designation of the entry.
Also known as	Other name variants and spellings (alias).
Existence	Duration of existence of a historical country (from–to).
historically part of	Superordinate region/country, time-dated.
Wikidata ID	Anchor to Wikidata.
GOV identifier	Anchor to the Historical Gazetteer (GOV).
GeoNames ID	Anchor to GeoNames.

Source & collection

References and holding collections. Statements are referenced wherever possible; pieces refer to the collection that holds them.

Field	Meaning
Name	Designation of the entry.
Also known as	Other name variants and spellings (alias).
Author	Author/editor of the source.
Publisher	Publisher of the publication.
Year of publication	Year of publication.
published in	Superordinate container (series/journal).
ISBN / ISSN / DOI / GND	Authority-data anchors of the source.
Wikidata ID	Anchor to Wikidata.
Page(s)	Reference within the source.
Collection: type / city / website	For collections: type (museum/private), location, website.

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As of 2026-09-23.