Fournier - Nº 39 - Marca "Titi"

7/14/2026

Fournier - Nº 39 - Marca "Titi"

Although this deck is widely available in the Spanish playing card market and has been in production for several decades, I have been unable to find any substantial information regarding its history beyond retail and secondhand marketplace listings—a fact both striking and intriguing.

This is the Nº 39 model, made in Spain by Heraclio Fournier. Only available as 40 cards decks, without a tuck box, and simply wrapped in cellophane (previously paper-wrapped). The inscription Marca Titi appears on the 4s of Coins and Cups, with the latter featuring the added detail of a monkey perched on a branch. This may be a reference to the original manufacturer's brand, which was eventually acquired by Fournier—akin to other historical examples like Los dos Tigres or Naipes Comas's 2-S. While this conclusion can be inferred with reasonable certainty, it remains unconfirmed and should be taken with a grain of salt.

Tracking down the history of this model online leads to a copy bearing a tax stamp from the 1931–1936 period. This places the deck’s life span at nearly a century, though whether it has remained continuously in production is yet to be confirmed.

Regarding the design, this Catalan-pattern deck stands out for its austere, almost schematic illustrations, though without reaching the minimalism of the standard Anglo-American pattern. It employs the minimum number of lines and colors required to identify the suits and court cards, which also feature thick, well-defined outlines. This stylistic choice ensures high legibility during gameplay and provides a distinctive aesthetic. The simplified artwork contrasts sharply with other Catalan decks like Fournier's No. 32 or No. 35, bearing a closer resemblance to the 2-S by Naipes Comas, which also opts for simple yet slightly more elaborate artwork.

The cards boast the high quality standard expected from this brand, featuring a satin finish and saturated colors that enhance the aforementioned legibility. Their exceptionally smooth glide is striking, even posing a slight challenge during scanning, as the cards kept hovering around and proved difficult to stabilize. Consequently, shuffling and handling them during play is both effortless and satisfying.

Ultimately, this is a pragmatic, unpretentious deck driven entirely by functionality—both visual and tactile. It is exactly the kind of reliable set that comes to mind first when picking a deck for a casual game after supper.