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"Bee" Serpent -- The deck that never came to be...

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"Bee" Serpent -- The deck that never came to be...
« on: November 19, 2013, 04:36:12 PM »
 

CBJ

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This deck was going to be made by USPC, but they decided to make the Bicycle Serpent instead.






CBJ
« Last Edit: November 19, 2013, 04:37:08 PM by CBJ »
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Re: "Bee" Serpent -- The deck that never came to be...
« Reply #1 on: November 19, 2013, 05:22:53 PM »
 

bhong

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This had the look of what could have been a pretty good Bicycle deck. I like the back design that takes off jade circle pendants and the fact that is is a green backed deck sort of win me already. I'm guessing they would have just re-coloured the courts and pips like other Bicycle decks with custom backs, but with the teal green, dark green, black and white would have been a pretty good palette for them to work with.
 

Re: "Bee" Serpent -- The deck that never came to be...
« Reply #2 on: November 20, 2013, 12:06:22 AM »
 

Don Boyer

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Aside from casino work, I don't think USPC does anywhere near enough with their other band names.  They're probably concerned about the solid name-brand identity of Bicycle, in the sense that when someone not in this hobby thinks of a pack of cards, they tend to think of Bicycles.  It's the first brand that pops into my head, and it was all we used at my poker table.  Personally, though, it sounds like USPC is taking all their eggs and putting them in to a single basket - named "Bicycle".  They have awesome brand names both current and historical that really need to see the love some more.
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Re: "Bee" Serpent -- The deck that never came to be...
« Reply #3 on: November 20, 2013, 12:21:09 AM »
 

bhong

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Aside from casino work, I don't think USPC does anywhere near enough with their other band names.  They're probably concerned about the solid name-brand identity of Bicycle, in the sense that when someone not in this hobby thinks of a pack of cards, they tend to think of Bicycles.  It's the first brand that pops into my head, and it was all we used at my poker table.  Personally, though, it sounds like USPC is taking all their eggs and putting them in to a single basket - named "Bicycle".  They have awesome brand names both current and historical that really need to see the love some more.

Sorry if this is off topic a bit, but I think you've made a great point. It's one I've noticed as I dive more into card collecting. I know it's a lot of work for USPC to develop their brands, but I think with all the brands they have under them, they could divide up what each brand would cater to like retail companies that own multiple brands (low-end, middle-end and high end clothes). That could so easily work with Bee, Bicycle, Tally-Ho, Aristocrat and Hoyle that they have. I honestly would have jumped to get the Bee Serpent deck.
 

Re: "Bee" Serpent -- The deck that never came to be...
« Reply #4 on: November 20, 2013, 01:56:40 AM »
 

Don Boyer

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Aside from casino work, I don't think USPC does anywhere near enough with their other band names.  They're probably concerned about the solid name-brand identity of Bicycle, in the sense that when someone not in this hobby thinks of a pack of cards, they tend to think of Bicycles.  It's the first brand that pops into my head, and it was all we used at my poker table.  Personally, though, it sounds like USPC is taking all their eggs and putting them in to a single basket - named "Bicycle".  They have awesome brand names both current and historical that really need to see the love some more.

Sorry if this is off topic a bit, but I think you've made a great point. It's one I've noticed as I dive more into card collecting. I know it's a lot of work for USPC to develop their brands, but I think with all the brands they have under them, they could divide up what each brand would cater to like retail companies that own multiple brands (low-end, middle-end and high end clothes). That could so easily work with Bee, Bicycle, Tally-Ho, Aristocrat and Hoyle that they have. I honestly would have jumped to get the Bee Serpent deck.

I'm sure they feel they have this already:

Low end: Streamline, Maverick (regional), Aviator (regional)
Mid-range: Bicycle, Tally Ho (regional), Hoyle, Arrco, Aladdin (regional)
High end: Bee, Aristocrat.

It's just that they're not doing much beyond simple, basic models for most of these decks, favoring instead just the Bicycle and Bee brands due to immediate name-brand and trademark recognition.  Bikes are crazy-popular here, their best-selling brand, while Bees are their biggest sellers throughout Asia and in China in particular.
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Re: "Bee" Serpent -- The deck that never came to be...
« Reply #5 on: November 20, 2013, 08:50:01 AM »
 

John B.

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Yea I think Bikes are more of what come to mind here in the states, I never knew they were all the same till I got an ad card that stated it. I always thought they were made by different companies.
Do you guys even read this? Like I could have the meaning of life here and I doubt you would know it.
 

Re: "Bee" Serpent -- The deck that never came to be...
« Reply #6 on: November 20, 2013, 01:07:26 PM »
 

Don Boyer

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Yea I think Bikes are more of what come to mind here in the states, I never knew they were all the same till I got an ad card that stated it. I always thought they were made by different companies.

They used to be - long before you were born, for the most part, with just a few exceptions.
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Re: "Bee" Serpent -- The deck that never came to be...
« Reply #7 on: November 20, 2013, 07:04:04 PM »
 

John B.

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See that is why I like having you on the forum don, I always learn something from you.
Do you guys even read this? Like I could have the meaning of life here and I doubt you would know it.
 

Re: "Bee" Serpent -- The deck that never came to be...
« Reply #8 on: November 21, 2013, 09:15:45 AM »
 

Don Boyer

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See that is why I like having you on the forum don, I always learn something from you.

Thanks.
  • Streamline, Maverick and Arrco were brands of the Arrow Playing Card Co., later known as Arrco.
  • Aristocrat was a brand of American Bank Note Co.
  • Tally Ho originated with A. Dougherty and Bee with New York Consolidated, later known as Consolidated-Dougherty - but it was already a USPC subsidiary by that time.
  • Aladdins came from the National Playing Card Co. - I think that was simply a foreign division of USPC, much like the International Playing Card Co. in Canada.
  • Hoyle was a Brown and Bigelow brand originating in the 1920s, later spun off to become Hoyle Playing Cards, which was eventually bought by Stancraft, which was itself purchased by USPC sometime thereafter.
  • Bicycle was one of USPCs earliest brands, originating in 1885.

Some references to check out:
https://sites.google.com/site/cardconjurer/article/dating/manufacturers
http://forums.theory11.com/showthread.php?23972-Deck-Dating
http://www.bicyclecards.com/about/bicycle-cards
« Last Edit: November 21, 2013, 09:17:30 AM by Don Boyer »
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Re: "Bee" Serpent -- The deck that never came to be...
« Reply #9 on: November 21, 2013, 10:19:49 PM »
 

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I'm sure you would love to have that one CBJ.
 

Re: "Bee" Serpent -- The deck that never came to be...
« Reply #10 on: November 21, 2013, 11:07:16 PM »
 

Don Boyer

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I'm sure you would love to have that one CBJ.

I'm sure a LOT of people would love to have a deck that never came to be...  It's like finding an original rocket-launching Boba Fett prototype!  Even if it DOESN'T have the Bicycle brand on it!  :))
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