Montag And Faber's Plan

Trieste between the fingers

who has never played cards in his life, raise your hand. Nobody, eh?
Then each of you for a few hours at least, had a bit of Trieste between the fingers.

Typically they look at the cards on the one hand, the one with the seeds and figures, but if you lose a few minutes to inspect the back, you would notice the mark on many decks Modiano.

History of Modiano began in 1868 when David Modiano Saul, born in Greece, heir to a family of merchants in Thessaloniki, arrived in Trieste in search of fortune. In Europe, at that time, there was considerable demand for cigarette and so, in 1873, imagined and realized an industrial specialist in that field.

In Trieste in those same some factories were already active year like, as the "New Trust Triestina", the "Concordia" and the "Company Nadirè A. Salto, located in the current Via XX Settembre.

The first phase of the Modiano is concentrated in manufacturing and selling all over the world cigarette papers and tubes for with different markings. collaboration with young designers in the field creates a true collection of works of art reproduced on small packages The following step by step evolution of the various artistic currents of contemporary .

Section Graphic Arts was entrusted to Giuseppe Sigon (1864-1922) returned from a number of important experiences as a lithographer in Udine and Milan. Joseph Sigon makes everything from posters to billboards in the early chromolithograph for a known industrial brands, from calendars to menus of restaurants, from playing cards to note the "humble" packages of cigarette papers , a product that the company soon began to export massive quantities in various parts of the world resulting in substantial awards up to be awarded the title of "Official Supplier to the Royal Court Greece."

The packages can be read, in many different languages \u200b\u200bof the world, phrases like these:

"I, the undersigned, a professor of chemical laboratory, certify after analyzing the label MODIANO tar cigarette papers that he has identified by chemical analysis and microscopy have been made of pure hemp and flax fibers treated with herbal essences. Do not contain any harmful effects on health and therefore the cigarette papers MODIANO give complete satisfaction to smokers' - Trieste, April 19, 1893.

"pure whiteness - High opacity - Durable and compact - Neutral in taste, preserves the aroma of tobacco - Normal combustion, not black nor exhale odor - No throat irritation - Wheel Rims with pure vegetable gum. "

"cigarette paper loader - do not alter the smell of tobacco - do not disturb the throat - Try it and you will be satisfied."

"This cigarette paper, pure Italian products, is also preferred by all demanding smoking oriental

In 1884, the Modiano began to create his fine art and typography playing cards, which now reached widespread popularity, thanks to quality combined with art and skill trade, so that in a few years Modiano cards can surpass those produced by the Germans and Austrians, until then, excelled in the market for playing cards.

are opened new factories in the major European capitals and bloom real masterpieces thanks to collaborations with leading artists, mainly of the University of Budapest, which help to increase brand awareness. The

Modiano becomes an initiator of the Italian poster with input from renowned artists such as, among others, Argia Orell (1884 - 1942) ² , Glauco Cambon (1875 - 1930) ³ , Quaiatti Antonio (1904-1992) 4 , Cuccoli Cesare (1912-1978).

the eve of the Great War Modiano employs in its plants a thousand employees, and his name also appears among the promoters of commercial and industrial development in the Trieste branch of the cement; electrical engineering, agriculture and finance. From these initiatives lies in 1907 also the first automotive Trieste 's Alba.

War, naturally, reduces any business, the Modiano is no exception and is forced to drastically cut the number of workers. The same raw material supplies, paper, becomes problematic. The plant was also damaged by arson in one of those attacks took place against the wire in Trieste after the Italian declaration of war against Austria. At the end of the Great War Modiano, mindful of the difficulties had in the recent past, bought some paper mills in Emilia to ensure the raw material.

The advertising poster reflects the union between art and industry that will characterize all the activity of Modiano. Young or already established artists, especially of Hungarian nationality, as Aladar Richter, Andreas Farkas, Franz Lenhart , Zoltan Konya, Róbert Berényi , Sándor Bortnyik and others working with the Modiano, Graphic Arts section, along with Philibert, Bruno and Sigon Pollio, sons of the first director artistic Joseph Sigon .

All three work for the long Modiano, but Pollio, however, that inherit later in the paper converting plant in Trieste, which was the role of the father.

Born in 1895 and supported by excellent quality at an artistic level, he began to work with Modiano at a young age and soon after the First World War there enters a stable, soon becoming the most important internal illustrator, a position he held for a long time .

production Pollio for Modiano, in about fifty years of their employment (and despite amputation of the left arm) is remarkable for quantity and quality. How had his father Joseph, and draws all is rather difficult, among the endless amount of posters, calendars, menus, labels and wrappers of various kinds which bear his signature, highlight this or that job, even if some creations are milestones in the history (and not only Trieste) advertising graphics, such as the centaur featuring a poster for the Reale cigarette papers of Modiano and some pictures and publicity stunts that still accompany the production of playing cards Company.

In the years between the First and Second World War three activities (production of playing cards, production of maps and posters from smoke) go hand in hand, but two hits are inflicted to the Modiano and similar industries: the establishment of a regime of monopoly on the importation and sale of products Smoke (1936) habit, spread by the Americans at the end of the second World War II, cigarettes are already packed.

After World War II, the production of cigarette paper continue to decline even more, leaving room for other papermaking production, first of all playing cards. At

traditional playing cards, there are also those promotions, collectibles, tours, casino gaming company.

There is a deck of playing cards that is not produced by this factory, the French papers to the English, from Germany to Austria, from the Tarot trumps, from canasta cards to cards and then a merchant at the fair all regional Neapolitan piacentine, bergamasche, bresciane, genovesi, trevigiane, bolognesi, fiorentine, sarde, siciliane, romagnole, milanesi, piemontesi, trentine e, naturalmente le carte triestine .



E già, le carte triestine ….

E’ curioso osservare che, tra tutte le carte regionali italiane, le uniche a riportare dei motti e delle scritte sono, assieme alle trevigiane, quelle triestine ed in particolare:

• Sull'asso di coppe: "UNA COPPA DI BUON VIN, FA CORAGGIO E FA MORBIN”


• Sull'asso di spade: "IL GIOCO DELLA SPADA A MOLTI NON AGGRADA"


• Sull'asso of money: "DO NOT KNOW WHO IS VAL Fortuna" ⁵


• Sull'asso sticks: VAN WON MANY TIMES THE END stick "

But Trieste have two other characteristics that make them unique, the name of each figure, reported in full in the white space that doubles numerello and illustrations at the bottom and the top that identifies the value:



And here's an oddity, the cards from ace to seven report the numbers from 1 to 7, while the figures show the numbers ... curious. 11, 12 and 13!

What happened to the 8, 9 and 10 ? In some municipal warehouse along with statues, fountains and various automata?

In reality no one knows, it is assumed that originally the deck of 52 cards were then reduced, for some reason, the 40-delete notes eight, nine and ten. Another eccentricity Trieste.

In 1987 Modiano is acquired by another company, Grafad that maintains the brand department smoke giving the multinational Rizla of Antwerp, which still uses the label "Club", "Fumosan" and "Light." Since then, the company produces international and regional playing cards that are sold with continued success in the world along with Dal Negro Treviso ..


So .... Three brooms, Cards, Coins and Settebello. I'd say this is my hand.
Who is next?

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1.La chromolithograph is a technique that allows printing of images, color, low cost and in large print runs. The original design is done on stone and then transferred onto paper.

2.Artista Trieste, is formed at school in Monaco by Franz von Stuck. In the early years of the 900 buys a considerable reputation, also working in advertising and production of picture postcards. In the '20s and '30s stands out as a portraitist. His works are preserved in some of the most famous international museums and Trieste Revoltella mainly at the Museum.

3.Nato in Trieste, he studied in his hometown and later in Monaco of Bavaria and Rome. Talented painter, he participated at the Venice Biennale of 1897 and 1907. Influenced by the nature of Impressionist and contemporary Rietti Veruda, always retained a taste for Art Nouveau line. He died in 1930 in Biella.

4.Si formed to undertake industrial schools in Trieste, during the twenties and thirties, a career as a commercial artist, working almost exclusively for the Company Cosulich.

5.On Dal Negro version of the phrase is "SON FRIENDS VERY RARE WHEN THERE IS NO MONEY"