Sterling Card Co. Hochman U37

[52plusjoker]

Some very interesting research by Cryptocard27 has unearthed a few facts that shed some light on this deck - a deck which has been a mystery as to its manufacturer/publisher. All we knew about the Sterling Card Company was that its address was 24 Vesey Street, NYC. CC27 has determined that American Phototype Company ["APC"] were at that address in the 1870's, likely at the time the deck was produced circa 1876. From the APC name, we might deduce that they were printers and likely the manufacturers of the Sterling deck. What we don't yet know is the relationship between APC and Sterling. Was it a trade name APC used? a subsidiary? just a customer? A final possibility is that by 1876 perhaps Sterling had purchased the business of APC and decided to try its hand at playing card manufacturing.

It should be noted that the Sterling deck is the only one known to have been produced by the company and only two copies are know to still exist. It is a fascinating deck in that the courts are quite different from any other courts we have seen and the indices were of a type only seen in cards manufactured by Eagle Card Co. [refer Hochman L5]. I have pictured the Spade Ace and Heart King below.

[TumDTeeSudLeaw]

I want to have to part with you.How can I do?

[sprouts1115]

I never seen this before.  I always like to see interesting ways indices are used or have been used. 

Maybe,

K
o
H

Would have worked better. 

[Don Boyer]

I never seen this before.  I always like to see interesting ways indices are used or have been used. 

Maybe,

K
o
H

Would have worked better.

Not really, no.  The lower-case "o" would be on every single card in the exact same place, providing no additional clarity as to the card's identity and making the index longer than it absolutely needs to be.  The "o" would be as useful as a one-legged man in a butt-kicking contest.

[Cryptocard27]

Some very interesting research by Cryptocard27 has unearthed a few facts that shed some light on this deck - a deck which has been a mystery as to its manufacturer/publisher. All we knew about the Sterling Card Company was that its address was 24 Vesey Street, NYC. CC27 has determined that American Phototype Company ["APC"] were at that address in the 1870's, likely at the time the deck was produced circa 1876. From the APC name, we might deduce that they were printers and likely the manufacturers of the Sterling deck. What we don't yet know is the relationship between APC and Sterling. Was it a trade name APC used? a subsidiary? just a customer? A final possibility is that by 1876 perhaps Sterling had purchased the business of APC and decided to try its hand at playing card manufacturing.

It should be noted that the Sterling deck is the only one known to have been produced by the company and only two copies are know to still exist. It is a fascinating deck in that the courts are quite different from any other courts we have seen and the indices were of a type only seen in cards manufactured by Eagle Card Co. [refer Hochman L5]. I have pictured the Spade Ace and Heart King below.

Thank you for the quote and the very clear summary concerning this mysterious and really magnificent deck!
Do you know who possesses the second copy? Would it be a museum or a private collector?
 

[52plusjoker]

Some very interesting research by Cryptocard27 has unearthed a few facts that shed some light on this deck - a deck which has been a mystery as to its manufacturer/publisher. All we knew about the Sterling Card Company was that its address was 24 Vesey Street, NYC. CC27 has determined that American Phototype Company ["APC"] were at that address in the 1870's, likely at the time the deck was produced circa 1876. From the APC name, we might deduce that they were printers and likely the manufacturers of the Sterling deck. What we don't yet know is the relationship between APC and Sterling. Was it a trade name APC used? a subsidiary? just a customer? A final possibility is that by 1876 perhaps Sterling had purchased the business of APC and decided to try its hand at playing card manufacturing.

It should be noted that the Sterling deck is the only one known to have been produced by the company and only two copies are know to still exist. It is a fascinating deck in that the courts are quite different from any other courts we have seen and the indices were of a type only seen in cards manufactured by Eagle Card Co. [refer Hochman L5]. I have pictured the Spade Ace and Heart King below.

Thank you for the quote and the very clear summary concerning this mysterious and really magnificent deck!
Do you know who possesses the second copy? Would it be a museum or a private collector?

Second copy was seen at USPC Museum.

[Cryptocard27]

Some very interesting research by Cryptocard27 has unearthed a few facts that shed some light on this deck - a deck which has been a mystery as to its manufacturer/publisher. All we knew about the Sterling Card Company was that its address was 24 Vesey Street, NYC. CC27 has determined that American Phototype Company ["APC"] were at that address in the 1870's, likely at the time the deck was produced circa 1876. From the APC name, we might deduce that they were printers and likely the manufacturers of the Sterling deck. What we don't yet know is the relationship between APC and Sterling. Was it a trade name APC used? a subsidiary? just a customer? A final possibility is that by 1876 perhaps Sterling had purchased the business of APC and decided to try its hand at playing card manufacturing.

It should be noted that the Sterling deck is the only one known to have been produced by the company and only two copies are know to still exist. It is a fascinating deck in that the courts are quite different from any other courts we have seen and the indices were of a type only seen in cards manufactured by Eagle Card Co. [refer Hochman L5]. I have pictured the Spade Ace and Heart King below.

Thank you for the quote and the very clear summary concerning this mysterious and really magnificent deck!
Do you know who possesses the second copy? Would it be a museum or a private collector?

Second copy was seen at USPC Museum.

And just in case, do you know what looks like the box of this deck please?

[52plusjoker]

I can post a picture of the box later in the week.

[Cryptocard27]

I can post a picture of the box later in the week.

Ok, thank you very much

[52plusjoker]

Voila - la boite!

[Cryptocard27]

Voila - la boite!

Super Merci beaucoup !