The founder of
the Playing Card lndustry behind the saga of the COMAS family was PEDRO COMAS.
The industry officially commenced in 1797 in Mataró, Barcelona province, and operated here until 1810, when the company relocated to the city of Barcelona. In 1845 the successive descendants of Pedro Comas took over the business, which eventually became known by its current name - N.E.G.S.A., NAIPES COMAS.
SEBASTIAN COMAS Y RICART
1845 al 1867
He soon excelled due to his extraordinary professionalism and his creativity and desire for perfection. In the year 1850 he went tu Argentina, channelling large orders through the importer Flo. Hnos.
With the firm conviction that a sound industrial base is born out of the quality of its production he decides that, for the best impression of playing cards it is necessary tu have a Bristol specially made tu that end. With this aim, in 1853, he left the paper factoty of Torre Claramunt which was already working with the repoted paper manufacturer Ramon GUARRO.
By suitably adapting both industries they achieved great improvements in terms of quality~which was accompanied by the logical increase in orders for both products, in both the national and in the american markets.
In spite of his premature death at 48 years oid, he was able to lay down the guidelines to success that would be continued by bis successors.
CRISTINA MONTANER DE COMAS
Vda. DE S. COMAS Y RICART
1867 al 1882
However, Cristina in an honourable and responsible fashion, followed the guidelines laid down by her predecessors and even succeeded in increasing the fortunes of the company.
During the 15 years that she dedicated to the company, she enjoyed the unconditional and constant support of her two sons Antonio and Sebastian, who, during this time were able to prepare themselves for taking over control of the company.
With the exemplary understanding and union between mother and sons , there would be an ever increasing outpot in both industries and consequently the enlargement of the domestic and american markets.
.
HIJOS
DE SEBASTIÁN COMAS Y RICART
ANTONIO Y SEBASTIÁN COMAS Y MONTANER
1882 AL 1892
On their mother's death in 1882, they inherited the two industries and soon demonstrated that their long apprenticeship had enabled them to gain a high professional level.
Convinced that the success of tbe company must be based on producing high quality products, they decided to try to perfect the manufacturing of a special bristol for playing cards, considering it tu be basic for good impression work and, tu that end, they decided to use a class named UNTRANSPARENT, formed by a special bristol of three sheets.
For greater tluidity, they decided to specialise in one aspect each, Sebastian taking on the paper industry and Antonio taking on the playing cards factory.
With the acquired experience they managed to consolidate and to expand the family business.
SUCESORES
DE SEBASTIÁN COMAS Y RICART
ANTONIO COMAS Y MONTANER, S. en C.
1892 al 1911
He created a new set of marks which he introduced exclusively to the american market.
In 1892 he handed over the paper industry to Mr Joan Capdevila i Guarro, though he secured the guarantee of receiving a supply of special bristol for playing cards.
ln 1895 he acquired the playing cards company of Jose Sainso y Cia, a limited Iiability company and in 1896 he also took over the company Cristobal Masso i Artigas as part of a process of industrial and comercial expansion. Doring the mandate of Antonio, "Naipes Comas" would reach their higbest point of success.
JOSEFA
RIBÓ GRUCHAGA
Vda. DE ANTONIO COMAS
1911 al 1931
On the sad loss of her husband she became the second female head in the history of the "Naipes Comas" company.
Possessor of a strong character she demonstrated both the determination and capacity to carry on the family tradition.
The great political changes and the growth of the workers movement at the beginning of the century and the inevitable consequences of the four years of the First World War were a test of her capacity to adapt to the new rapidly changing times.
However, with her great determination and with the support of the solid team of technicians and workers who rallied to the cause of the firm, she managed to survive these turbulent times and maintain the level of the cornpany. It was in her time that the company began to manufacture the english type poker cards and the french bridge cards.
Although she died in 1929 the company continued with the same name till 1931.
JOSEFA
COMAS I RIBÓ
Con su esposo
LUIS GALCERAN BONIQUET
Constituyentes de
HIJA DE A. COMAS, J. COMAS
1931 al 1954
The great socio-political upheavals of her time would put to the test the capacity of survival of the company.
This period of Spanish history was a particularly turbulent time with the end of the monarchy, the advent of the second republic which lead to the Spanish Civil War which in turn was followed by the Second World war with serious consequences for trade due to the long and constant naval blockades.
On her husband's death, Josefa entrusted to her son-in-law, Alexandre de Armengol, the creation of a joint stock company.
| In 1954, Alexandre de Armengol y de Luna, in compliance with the desires of
Josefa Comas and in representation of his wife Montserrat Galcerán y Comas and togetber
with his, sister Maria Luisa, constitoted the joint stock company with the name Naipes y
Especialidades Gráficas, S.A., known by its initials N.E.G.S.A. Due to ever increasing
orders and the need for expansion and technical innovations new partners were admitted to
tbe company: Mr Luis María Corbera and Mr Rafael de Gispert i Jordá, who together with
Mr Armengol and his sister constituted tbe first board of directors, presided by Mr
Corbera.
N.E.G.S.A. 'Naipes Comas" continued the activity of making playing cards at nº6 Cortinas Street in Barcelona, until the end of 1959. That year, owing to the shortage of space they moved to new premises at nos. 32 and 34 of Sort Street in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, a town in the Barcelona industrial belt. In 1962, due to the continonus changes in printing methods and the increasing demand, the company agreed to the collaboration of the Graphics company A. Bastard for manufacturing tbe playing cards using the offset tecbnique. Mr Agustin Bastard became a new shareholder of N.E.G.S.A. "Naipes Comas As a testimony to the old methods of printing, the company donated an ALAUZET machine and old sets of playing cards to the Provincial Museum of Graphic Arts located in the "Pueblo Español" of Montjuïc. On the death of Mr Bastard, his shares and rights were acquired by the Soler family of Talleres Gráficos Soler. S.A. located in Esplugues, a small town on the outskirts of Barcelona. Nowadays this company is in charge of making the cards. Tbe present managing board of N.E.G.S.A., aware of the prestige and the tradition of tbe company, continues to manufacture the majority of the traditional types and patterns, which are still in great demand. |
