@ Bertrand
You gave some nice explanations in this thread
Here are some maybe usefull further informations about the house Grimaud.
These informations are all taken (freely translated and shortened - sorry I am too lazy to translate the whole text) from:
Il était une fois:
B.P. GRIMAUD
Maitre cartier
Un siècle de fabrication de cartes à jouer
This is the number 10/98 of the revue As de Trèfle and I think it was the catalog for the exhibition of 1998 "B.P. Grimaud Maitre Cartier" organised by the Musée d'Issy les Moulineaux by Paris
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. Baptiste Paul Grimaud came to Paris at the beginning of the years 1840 (he is 23 years old)
. on the 12 June 1851 he creates la société Grimaud & Cie with two fellows.
. in 1858 he signs a contract with Firmin Chappellier who invented a way to produce cards with round metallised corner.
. As the atelier on Rue de Bondy being too small, Grimaud removes to Rue de Lancry in 1865. The following year he takes apartnership with Charles Chartier.
Soon is the house Grimaud very successfull
His nephews Leo and Georges Marteau and Julien Emile Boudin are associated to the house Grimaud.
Baptiste Paul Grimaud dies on the 21 April 1899.
After 1909, a new generation appears: Georges Marteau leaves.
Paul Chartier takes the place of his father in 1910 and Paul Marteau takes the place of Leo Marteau in 1920
From 1. January 1946 the house Grimaud has to fight against strong concurreny.
in 1962 the house Grimaud is sold to jean-marie Simon (director of La Ducale).
The location rue de Lancry are left and the factory rue David d'Angers with all the machines is destroyed.
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BTW in this post I wrote my thoughts about the origins of the line drawings of the deck:
http://www.tarotforum.net/showpost.php?p=2061131&postcount=110
Best regards