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11
Design & Development / customize name memory flash card for kid
« Last post by bearbrick on February 29, 2024, 09:55:23 PM »
12
A Cellar of Fine Vintages / Re: Mrs. Robinson?s bicycle card collectors handbook 1955
« Last post by ecNate on February 29, 2024, 12:59:03 PM »
For those interested, Bicycle has a full scan of this handbook on their website: https://bicyclecards.org/mrs-robinsons/
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Playing Card Plethora / Kickstarter: JOY - A Different Deck of Playing Cards
« Last post by EndersGame on February 28, 2024, 10:23:14 PM »
 Kickstarter: JOY - A Different Deck of Playing Cards by Brian South

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/teachbymagic/joy-deck-a-different-deck-of-playing-cards

Creative playing cards that hide hundreds of words and numbers in the pips - can you find "JOY" on every card?

Project ends: Friday, March 22, 2024



Brian South is from "Discover Magic", and it's already been a decade since he produced two wonderfully creative decks of playing cards.  These were the Mazing Deck and the Different Deck, which I covered in detail in this article

The Different Deck was a huge hit, with over 1500 backers on Kickstarter generating nearly $75,000 in funding.  This novel deck immediately caught my attention at the time due to its unique approach: each card had a single pip that is composed of illustrations and words corresponding to that card's rank.

 So instead of a standard 3 of Clubs, the Different Deck depicted a single Club made up of threes; instead of a 5 of Diamonds, there was a single Diamond made up of fives; and instead of a Queen of Hearts there was a single Heart made up of Queens.



The cards were also filled with hidden elements, including historical and pop culture references.  For example, if you look closely at the Queen of Spades shown above, you will not only see the word "queen" written in several languages, but also a queen chess piece, and even a Queen Elizabeth signature. The result is that each card has a single pip that is a unique piece of art that can be carefully explored and enjoyed. 

It took a number of years and a lot of work to turn this idea into a reality, but with the help of artist Nike Meyer, in 2014 the Different Deck finally saw the light of day. 



And that brings us to the present, which is the tenth anniversary of the original Different Deck.  Since the release of the Different Deck, Brian and his wife have experienced a lot of joys but also trials, including a failed adoption, financial loss, and even cancer.  But with the strength of their personal faith, they decided to approach these hardships with a positive perspective, by choosing joy. 

The Joy Deck is a brand new version of the Different Deck that captures this attitude to life.   The basic artwork of the original Different Deck has been retained on the card faces, but the word "JOY" has been added onto each and every card. 





The card backs feature a new design which revolves around an ambigram of the word JOY. 



And there's a new colour scheme, with a bright pink and blue producing a sense of vibrancy and energy. 



A sunburst around each giant pip also reflects the positivity exuding from this deck.



As a special touch, the cards will have gilded edges in bright purple.  How can you not feel joyful when you open a deck like this?



The deck is being produced by WJPC on their 310gsm stock.  This reputation of this playing card manufacturer has been growing in leaps and bounds in recent years, and folks in the world of playing cards have been speaking very highly of their quality, even comparing it very favourably to USPCC produced cards, which is high praise indeed.

Brian's goal is to spread joy, and to encourage us to look for joy - and we can literally do that on every single card. One of the extra cards included also gives a list of other things to look for in the deck, so it's certain to keep you busy for a long time.



Extra bonus items available with the project include JOY stickers, and limited edition decks with foil tuck boxes.  Some of the previous editions of the Different Deck and their related items are also available as add ons, as are magic tricks from Brian's Magic Explorers program.



I'm pleased to see this lovely project, and especially appreciate the thinking that underlies it.  Many new collectors may never have heard of the Different Deck, so this is a great chance to get this creative custom deck, now dressed in upbeat and positive new clothing.  Choosing this deck is a great way to start choosing joy in your own life!



Project link

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/teachbymagic/joy-deck-a-different-deck-of-playing-cards

15
A Cellar of Fine Vintages / Re: Ask the Experts at 52 Plus Joker
« Last post by Bruce on February 24, 2024, 10:40:29 AM »
Bicycle card question...

There are hundreds of Bicycle back designs (if not more) but reference material seems to be almost universally limited to 82 vintage backs. I know there are vintage decks and modern decks but today's modern is tomorrow's vintage. What's defining that specific cutoff point?
16
I thought I would share what I believe to be some new information concerning the Spanish playing card decks listed as SX12 and SX14 in the Exposition and World's Fair souvenir chapter in the Hochman/Dawson encyclopedia. The year shown for each listing states that they date from 1893, which was the year of the Columbian Exposition held in Chicago, but I do not believe this to be the case based upon notes from the April 15, 1897 meeting of the Price Committee of USPC whose members consisted of John Omwake, Stanley A. Cohen and R.H. McCutcheon. In this meeting, two resolutions were put into effect concerning the introduction of two new brands of Spanish playing cards as follows:

Resolution # 69, Cincinnati, April 15, 1897
Resolved, that Branch 1 be authorized to engrave plates and make a new brand of Spanish cards called No. 71, Los Leones, same to be listed in Class "C."

Resolution # 70, Cincinnati, April 15, 1897
Resolved, that Branch 1 be authorized to engrave faces and backs for a new brand of Spanish cards, for Colombia and other South American countries, same to be called No. 81, Colombiano, and listed in Class "C."

This would seem to be all of the proof needed to certify the origins of these two brands of Spanish playing cards. Apparently, the creation of new brands of playing cards takes some time before they can be offered for sale, thus, it is not surprising to see that both of these brands are not listed in the USPC price list for the season beginning on July 1, 1897 but they do appear in the price list for the following season beginning on January 1, 1898 in the Class C section at $42 per gross which is the same for all of the other plain edge brands in this class with the exception of Capitol # 188, Skat # 2 and Gaigel # 3 which were cheaper.

The description for the Colombiano # 81 (Spanish Cards) from the January 1, 1898 Wholesale Price List reads as follows:
"Specially engraved faces, after the style used in Colombia and adjacent countries; genuine parchment stock; possesses all the finest Spanish qualities; permanent colors; made in three sizes - 2 7/16 x 3 11/16, 2 3/8 x 3 5/8 and 2 1/4 x 3 1/2; hard surface finish; full packs, 48 cards."
The middle size is referred to as Barcelona size.

Pictured below are the front and back of the original box for SX12, the back design from the deck in my collection which took me many years to find, and the two of Earthen Bowls which is most interesting because it provides the name of the designer of this deck, Eduardo Espinosa Guzman, who appears to have been a Colombian printer although I would recommend that those interested readers with superior research skills to mine try to unearth some more information about him, perhaps, even enough to write a separate article. The back design is known as "Tangle" and was available in Black, Blue and Red.

The top and bottom sides of the OB read as follows:
 "Premiado en Cuantas" on top followed by "Exposiciones se ha Presentado" on the bottom which, when combined into one sentence, roughly translates into "Awarded in many Expositions where it has been Presented."
One of the side panels reads "Superiores a los Mejores Naipes Espanoles" which translates into "Superior to the Best Spanish Playing Cards." The remaining side panel simply reads USPC in English. Although the back of the box reads "La Gran Exposicion Universal, Chicago", I believe that this refers to the fact that USPC was awarded medals at the 1893 World's Fair for their products at that time and not for this particular deck which did not exist then.

Given all of the above new information, it may be the case that both the SX12 and SX14 designations should be changed to new "US" designations now that neither of them is shown to be directly connected to the Columbian Exposition. Of course, this may create confusion where none currently exists but it would be a treatment similar to the former SR13 designation being given the new S84 designation once it was proven that that deck was not a souvenir made for the Great Northern Railway but was, instead, made as a souvenir of The Great Northwest.
17
A Cellar of Fine Vintages / Re: Ask the Experts at 52 Plus Joker
« Last post by Cabbie on February 15, 2024, 11:18:02 PM »
Thanks a bunch, Mr. Worst Bower! I am so happy to figure out the origin of this odd Piatnik deck. I have a couple of modern Modiano decks in the Italian suits, but with so many regional versions of Italian playing cards, I just missed the Florentine pattern.

So, this all makes sense for this deck, with the Italian text on it. Piatnik was just making a Florentine pattern deck to sell to the northern Italian market. I am agreeing with you that it is old, having the 52 cards. And with all the other clues, I am still good with me saying circa 1920s for the age.

Oh man, I am going to have to go rewrite a lot of my text about the deck since much of the mystery is solved.
18
A Cellar of Fine Vintages / Re: Ask the Experts at 52 Plus Joker
« Last post by Worst Bower on February 15, 2024, 08:53:04 PM »
SUBJECT  :  Mystery Piatnik deck I need help identifying.

I won this deck from a seller in England a couple of weeks ago. It is made by Ferdinand Piatnik & Sons, Vienna. I researched this deck for days before I broke down and bought it and researched for many days more, but I could find no reference online or in any of my books. It is a rather unusual deck (see photos below), especially for a Piatnik deck. From all the evidence I can gather, I am pretty sure it is an antique deck that I am dating as from the 1920s. But again, I searched everywhere and I can find no match for it, not anywhere online and not in the Fournier Museum books. I even searched all the Fournier entries, since the deck appears to be a recreation of an even earlier deck. No matches there, either. So, if anyone can identify this baby, I'd love some information on the Piatnik mystery deck.

2.) The cross-hatch pattern is usually called tartan or, in France, tarotee.

8.) These cards are from the Tuscan/Florentine pattern designed in the 19th century and that's still produced today. What you have is fairly old since it has 52 cards. These days, it only comes in 40 cards (no 8s, 9s, or 10s).

https://www.modiano.it/it/prodotto/toscane-rosso-150-anniversario/
https://shop.dalnegro.com/prodotto/toscane-pro/
19
A Cellar of Fine Vintages / Re: Ask the Experts at 52 Plus Joker
« Last post by Cabbie on February 14, 2024, 02:55:30 PM »
A few more shots of the deck to help identify it :

20
A Cellar of Fine Vintages / Re: Ask the Experts at 52 Plus Joker
« Last post by Cabbie on February 14, 2024, 02:46:44 PM »
SUBJECT  :  Mystery Piatnik deck I need help identifying.

I won this deck from a seller in England a couple of weeks ago. It is made by Ferdinand Piatnik & Sons, Vienna. I researched this deck for days before I broke down and bought it and researched for many days more, but I could find no reference online or in any of my books. It is a rather unusual deck (see photos below), especially for a Piatnik deck. From all the evidence I can gather, I am pretty sure it is an antique deck that I am dating as from the 1920s. But again, I searched everywhere and I can find no match for it, not anywhere online and not in the Fournier Museum books. I even searched all the Fournier entries, since the deck appears to be a recreation of an even earlier deck. No matches there, either. So, if anyone can identify this baby, I'd love some information on the Piatnik mystery deck.

So, here are the details I know about this deck :
1.) It is a 52-card poker type deck with French suits, and has an extra blank card. There were some early 20th century decks that came with a blank card to replace one that was lost or damaged.
2.) The card backs are a cross-hatch pattern in blue, a common backing for late 19th century to early 20th century decks.
3.) The card stock is heavy and solid and relatively rough, typical of many early 20th century decks, whereas a modern recreation deck would likely have a shiny surface on thinner card stock. This deck feels authentically old.
4.) The card color is a very pale eggshell color, typical of many 100 year old decks. A modern deck would likely be bright white for the background color.
5.) The card size is about 100 mm by 67 mm, which is bigger than the standard modern poker deck size.
6.) The Ace of Hearts has the Piatnik "mounted jockey" logo in black and white (no color), which puts it 1891 or after. 1891 is when they started using the horse and jockey logo.
7.) Strangely, the company logo says "Ferd. Piatnik e Figli S.A." and the trade mark horse and rider logo has the phrase "marca registrata". Turns out the "e Figli" (meaning "and sons") and "marca" phrases are both in Italian. And the "e Figli" is seen on several of the court cards. From the company history : In 1917 the Viennese parent company was turned into a family-owned joint stock enterprise under the name ?Erste ?sterreichische Spielkartenfabrik AG, Ferd. Piatnik & S?hne?.  So, you see the company name as F. Piatnik and Sons A.G. from 1917 to 1939 when the name was modified again. Possibly the "S.A." at the end of the Italian version of the company name was the Italian version of the A.G. If that is so, then it would place this deck from 1917 to 1939, but that is still speculation. On the World Web Playing Card Museum website, there is a selection of Piatnik logos from the 1917 to 1939 period when it was F. Piatnik and Sons A.G. , and the last one listed for 1939 is for one saying F. Piatnik e Figli S.A..
8.) The court figures are single ended (almost unknown for Piatnik decks, except for some Cartomancy decks), with figures in medieval dress. And the pips are ONLY in the upper left corner (no bottom right corner pip at all). These court cards are very reminiscent of the French costume decks from the 1840s to the 1860s. The court cards were built like these. So, even if this is an early 20th century deck, is appears to be a reproduction of a French deck from the 1850s or so.
9.) The four of diamonds card also has a very big and fancy company logo on it. Again, I could find no match for this unusual logo. But, on the World Web Playing Card Museum website they have examples of several big fancy Piatnik logos that look similar, with one of these having the A.G. on the end of it and another having the S.A. at the end. And I found an online auction for a Piatnk Skat deck with a similar large logo and the deck is dated as 1920.
10.) There is no 4-digit serial number below the logo, which you sometimes see on modern decks.

So, from all this evidence - the look and feel of the cards, the "S.A." which appears to place the deck between 1917 and 1939, the big fancy company logo on 4ofD, cross-hatch backs, etc. - I am dating the deck as circa the 1920s.

But again, I could find no exact matches for this deck anywhere. It's definitely unusual - an Austrian made deck, seemingly intended for the Itallian market and found in England. And the unusual court cards. Piatnik is still making historical recreation decks, buy they almost always have indices and pips in both corners. So, this court card formation seems to be VERY intentional.

If anyone can give me any information or proof of exactly what this deck is, I would greatly appreciate it.

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