Vargas Girls vintage pin-up playing card deck, circa 1950s

This vintage deck of 53 playing cards features the iconic pin-up illustrations of artist Alberto Vargas. Produced during the mid-20th century, the set includes 52 standard suit cards and one joker, all constructed from plastic-coated cardstock.

Each card displays a unique, stylized pin-up illustration characteristic of the art popularized in magazines such as Esquire and Playboy. The deck comes in its original cardboard tuck box, which is decorated with a central graphic of a woman holding a guitar alongside a small artist figure. The box is explicitly labeled with the text 53 Vargas GIRLS and PLASTIC COATED PLAYING CARDS. Individual cards feature distinct markings; for example, the Two of Diamonds bears a cursive red vargas signature, while the joker card is inscribed with the text JOKER and ALBE.

The overall set measures 2.75 inches in length, 0.75 inches in width, and 3.75 inches in height, with a combined weight of 3.40 ounces. This collection serves as a quintessential example of mid-century commercial erotica and graphic illustration design.