In my cultural quest for the authentic and uniquely English, I'm now searching for some very specific illustrations / drawings that I remember from when I was little. I had a deck of cards - I believe they're called "black man" cards in English, that had drawings of all these different animals wearing clothes and spectacles and smoking cigars etc. I seem to remember there were quite a lot of frogs and rabbits in there. The frogs looked a bit disgusting, catching a fly with their tongue and so on. There were other animals as well, possibly birds (nibbling on a worm) and and I'm pretty sure the "black man" was a black cat (also wearing clothes of some sort).

Anyway, to the point: Would anyone have any clue about the name of the illustrator? Does it sound familiar at all? To me the drawings look a bit like those by John Tenniel in the illustrations for Alice in Wonderland, only much better and in colours. Or would you know of something similar?

Actually, yes. You'll have to give me a few days to dig out the book but I think I have something very similar (perhaps not the same thing) in a book on postcards somewhere.

Actually, yes. You'll have to give me a few days to dig out the book but I think I have something very similar (perhaps not the same thing) in a book on postcards somewhere.
Much appreciated! Hope you can find it, so I'll be able to sleep again : )

So I called my mom and dad and made them find the deck of cards and look for any clues as to who the illustrator is, but the only thing written on there was "Pietnik Spielkarten". (Spielkarten is German for playing cards.) So it looks like I'm out of luck!

Hey.. just wanted to check, you don't mean the Piatnik Schwarzer Peter ones do you?

Hey.. just wanted to check, you don't mean the Piatnik Schwarzer Peter ones do you?
Yes! Jen just image googled on "Piatnik Schwarzer Peter" and I found them!
http://www.piatnik.com/ungar/kidscards/bilder/427220.jpg
Thanks a lot Schoska!

The cat on that card might not look particularly English, but I swear the other animals do! Now, I just need to figure out the illustrator ...

hehe no problem! When you were describing them I was sure I knew what you meant!
I guess if you contacted the company they may be able to help?