Varitemas (Mas-Reynals) - Don Quijote y Sancho

7/10/2026

Varitemas (Mas-Reynals) - Don Quijote y Sancho

Founded by Miguel Mas Reynals in Barcelona in 1989, Naipes Mas-Reynals initially issued its decks under the founder's name. However, since 2003, the company has operated as Varitemas S.L., manufacturing and importing an array of items, including standard Spanish and Anglo-American decks, as well as souvenir, novelty, miniature, and children's card decks.

Titled Don Quijote y Sancho, this deck belongs to that latter category of children's games. As the name implies, the design is inspired by Miguel de Cervantes’ work, yet it takes a completely different approach from the interpretations produced by ASESCOIN and Heraclio Fournier.

The artwork relies on a highly simplified, stylized aesthetic; its minimalist lines and irregular strokes mimic a child's drawing style while maintaining remarkable consistency throughout the entire deck. The suit of coins is particularly quaint, replacing traditional depictions with simple six-pointed stars consisting of a basic outline with a solid yellow fill. Batons are equally noteworthy; as usual, they are represented by wooden clubs, though in this case they are studded with metallic spikes, giving them a somewhat menacing appearance.

As expected, the court cards depict the novel's three main characters: Dulcinea on the knaves, Sancho Panza riding his donkey on the knights, and Don Quixote on the kings. These cards stand out not so much for their level of detail, but for their expressiveness and lighthearted mood. A notable example is the 11 of cups, where Sancho's expression suggests he has had a bit "too much to drink," or the combative stance of Don Quixote on the 12 of swords. Overall, the court figures are well-executed and bear more than a passing resemblance to 1960s Hanna-Barbera cartoons.

The threes feature a windmill in the lower-right corner—a motif repeated across all suits, albeit with somewhat irregular and inconsistent proportions.

The four of coins bears the inscription “® NAIPES MAS-REYNALS”. Curiously, the tuck box displays the Varitemas brand under which the company now operates; despite retiring the original name from their commercial branding, it still appears on the cards themselves, a quirk shared by other decks from this manufacturer.

The ace of coins centers on a close-up of Don Quixote's face inside a six-pointed star, bracketed by the text “Don Quijote y Sancho” at the top and “Naipe Español” at the bottom. Tucked right beneath this is a small skull wearing a helmet—an odd detail that feels a bit out of place, evoking a pirate theme rather than a classic literary deck.

The joker depicts Rocinante, looking exhausted and swarming with flies. While this might seem a bit overdone, it perfectly captures how most of us envision this silent character: a spent, scrawny horse that, without saying a word, is instantly recognizable to anyone remotely familiar with the novel.

The card stock is thin and slightly rough, with a matte finish that feels unpleasant and creates too much friction, making shuffling a tedious chore. Compounding this poor handling are unevenly cut edges that almost look hand-trimmed. The cards also lack pintas—the traditional border breaks used to identify suits—featuring instead a solid, thin black frame around the entire layout.

Visually, it is an interesting deck with an appeal that may very well extend beyond its target audience. However, the finishing leaves a lot to be desired. It feels as though shortcuts were taken to lower production costs, assuming a younger audience would be less demanding. It's an unfortunate choice, especially since the manufacturer offers similarly priced decks of considerably higher quality.