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Wondering who commissioned these Decks (Tally-Ho, Bicycle)

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Wondering who commissioned these Decks (Tally-Ho, Bicycle)
« on: March 15, 2016, 12:56:34 AM »
 

cere23

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I was wondering if anyone knows who commissioned these older colored decks ?

Purple Rider Back (Standard - Not Reversed Purple Deck done by Magic Makers)
Black Tally-Ho Circle (Not the Reversed Viper or or Penguin Magic White Deck)
Black Tally-Ho Fan (Not the Reversed Viper Deck or Penguin Magic White Deck)
& Different Black Tally-Ho Fan (Not the Reversed Viper or Penguin Magic White Deck)

For example - BMPokerworld did the Brown deck, and Vincenzo Di Fatta did the Turquoise Deck

Thank you all for any info.
« Last Edit: March 15, 2016, 12:57:49 AM by Cerefen »
 

Re: Wondering who commissioned these Decks (Tally-Ho, Bicycle)
« Reply #1 on: March 16, 2016, 06:38:00 AM »
 

Don Boyer

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I was wondering if anyone knows who commissioned these older colored decks ?

Purple Rider Back (Standard - Not Reversed Purple Deck done by Magic Makers)
Black Tally-Ho Circle (Not the Reversed Viper or or Penguin Magic White Deck)
Black Tally-Ho Fan (Not the Reversed Viper Deck or Penguin Magic White Deck)
& Different Black Tally-Ho Fan (Not the Reversed Viper or Penguin Magic White Deck)

For example - BMPokerworld did the Brown deck, and Vincenzo Di Fatta did the Turquoise Deck

Thank you all for any info.

Of the older, basic Bicycle Rider Backs in different colors, green, orange, gold, silver, turquoise, fuchsia and "rainbow" were commissioned by Vincenzo di Fatta, an Italian producer of many decks, especially Bicycle-branded ones.  Brown was commissioned by Brooke Michael's Poker World, now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gambler's Warehouse.  Yellow and burgundy/maroon were commissioned by a British company called the Bond Agency, operators of cards4magic.co.uk.  I think the purple is newer and made recently by and for USPC, not as part of a private commission - they also released a "teal" deck that looks more like pale mint.  Check the bottom of the pack and see if it has copyright info with a copyright date of 2015.  (Again, I can't see adequate detail because your photo is too small!)  The info will list USPC in there somewhere, but if it was by and for them, no other company will be mentioned.

Regarding the black Tally Ho decks, the story I heard was that an unknown magician had them commissioned from USPC and distributed them to magic shops - they have a blank-faced card and a double-backer card instead of ad cards in each pack, plus two identical standard TH jokers, a sure sign they weren't made by USPC for USPC, because they generally use a joker as a guarantee joker in all their standard decks that they make, plus the fact that they're only in magic stores.  Of the decks you have on display, the left Original Fan Back is old stock printed in Cincinnati while the other two decks appear to be new stock printed in Erlanger - old stock has a barcode on the bottom of the tuck box, new decks from Erlanger have copyright details on the bottom of the tuck box and no barcode.

To compare, there's a black version of the Bicycle Rider Back that USPC makes and sells as their own product - it has the same ad cards and guarantee joker as an ordinary pack would and recently became available in the modern "Standard" box as they've depleted their remaining stock of "Classic" boxed packs.  It's exclusively available as part of a four-deck boxed set intended for poker players, consisting of two black decks and two red decks, but many deck retailers have been known to separate the boxed sets and sell the decks separately, with the black ones at a notable mark-up due to relative rarity/exclusivity.  The boxed sets are sold at many USPC retailers - I've seen them most often at Walgreens drugstores.  I'm not 100% certain off the top of my head, but I believe that the new black boxes have no barcodes on them while the red ones have them - the red decks are the same as the ones sold individually while the black decks are not intended for individual sale, only as part of the boxed set, which has its own bar code.
« Last Edit: March 16, 2016, 06:41:59 AM by Don Boyer »
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Re: Wondering who commissioned these Decks (Tally-Ho, Bicycle)
« Reply #2 on: February 25, 2017, 02:34:52 AM »
 

MrSlaybury

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I know this is an old post, but seeing as my favorite deck is pictured here I figured I would join the discussion :-)
The fan back without the bar code looks to be my favorite deck.  If it is, it has a double backer and a "poker hand" card.  The poker card has the back design on the other side.  The circle back version is the deck I've been trying to find.  I'm jealous lol.  A couple sites that sell the fan back list Murphy's Magic as being the client that had the deck printed.  I sent an email to someone there, but haven't heard back.  I guess I'm not surprised.  After all, I'm just a card geek and not a retailer so why would they take their time for me.  :|
It's interesting that there isn't a bar code!  I've been through 10 decks and  I never noticed until I read this!  I'd love to own the other fan back too.  But being a Cincinatti deck, this picture will probably be the closest I get to one :'-(. Although I do have a couple Blue Seal Circle Backs coming soon :).
 

Re: Wondering who commissioned these Decks (Tally-Ho, Bicycle)
« Reply #3 on: March 01, 2017, 02:25:00 AM »
 

Don Boyer

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I know this is an old post, but seeing as my favorite deck is pictured here I figured I would join the discussion :-)
The fan back without the bar code looks to be my favorite deck.  If it is, it has a double backer and a "poker hand" card.  The poker card has the back design on the other side.  The circle back version is the deck I've been trying to find.  I'm jealous lol.  A couple sites that sell the fan back list Murphy's Magic as being the client that had the deck printed.  I sent an email to someone there, but haven't heard back.  I guess I'm not surprised.  After all, I'm just a card geek and not a retailer so why would they take their time for me.  :|
It's interesting that there isn't a bar code!  I've been through 10 decks and  I never noticed until I read this!  I'd love to own the other fan back too.  But being a Cincinatti deck, this picture will probably be the closest I get to one :'-(. Although I do have a couple Blue Seal Circle Backs coming soon :).

You're possibly looking at a deck that's long out of print.  USPC started using USPC codes on decks around the 1980s.  It was more common in the 1970s and prior to see poker hand rank cards in decks, so there's a good chance that the deck you're seeking (and the one you already have) are vintage stock.  Of the two jokers, is one a guarantee joker?  What color is the deck in question?  Does the Ace of Spades have a production code on it and what is the code if it does?
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Re: Wondering who commissioned these Decks (Tally-Ho, Bicycle)
« Reply #4 on: March 09, 2017, 12:03:41 PM »
 

MrSlaybury

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Well, Don, the deck I'm speaking of doesn't have a date code on the Ace or anywhere else.  There's two full size, full color identical Jokers.  It's a Black Fan Back, not reversed, and it comes with a double backer and the aforementioned "poker hand card thing" lol.  I don't know the technical name for them.  The only date is the copyright date of 2015 on the bottom of the tuck.  I also canceled the blue seal Tallys.  I couldn't bring myself to pay $60 for two decks of cards.  Maybe next month :(
 

Re: Wondering who commissioned these Decks (Tally-Ho, Bicycle)
« Reply #5 on: March 11, 2017, 05:30:24 AM »
 

Don Boyer

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Well, Don, the deck I'm speaking of doesn't have a date code on the Ace or anywhere else.  There's two full size, full color identical Jokers.  It's a Black Fan Back, not reversed, and it comes with a double backer and the aforementioned "poker hand card thing" lol.  I don't know the technical name for them.  The only date is the copyright date of 2015 on the bottom of the tuck.  I also canceled the blue seal Tallys.  I couldn't bring myself to pay $60 for two decks of cards.  Maybe next month :(

OK, here's what I can tell you.

Clearly, it's not vintage - you have a copyright marking on the box's bottom.  If I was a betting man, I'd say the deck's seal is black with white lettering on it as well, right?

The fact that it's missing an Ace of Spades production code typically means that it was a private print run.  It's odd that it would have a double backer AND a poker hand rank card, since you typically see double backers in decks targeted for magicians and poker hand rank cards in decks targeted for casual poker players - pros don't need them and don't use paper decks much these days.

Beyond that, I really don't know who commissioned them.  There was a run of black Tally Ho decks in both back designs made for sale in magic shops prior to the move to Erlanger, but I'm told that even that print run had an unknown producer - it could be that the same producer came out of the shadows long enough to order more made, since it's a popular deck design and color combination for magicians.  It could be that the original print run is running low on supply and is still in adequate demand to justify a new run made in 2015.  Some have theorized that it was one of the major magic shops that made the earlier run, and they may be right, but to my knowledge, none of them have taken credit for it and it might simply have been a magician who desired the cards for himself and had enough made to sell extras off at a profit.  Even so, that older run never had the poker hands card in it, so, as they say, it's a mystery.
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Re: Wondering who commissioned these Decks (Tally-Ho, Bicycle)
« Reply #6 on: March 11, 2017, 08:13:32 PM »
 

Cardfool

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Well, Don, the deck I'm speaking of doesn't have a date code on the Ace or anywhere else.  There's two full size, full color identical Jokers.  It's a Black Fan Back, not reversed, and it comes with a double backer and the aforementioned "poker hand card thing" lol.  I don't know the technical name for them.  The only date is the copyright date of 2015 on the bottom of the tuck.  I also canceled the blue seal Tallys.  I couldn't bring myself to pay $60 for two decks of cards.  Maybe next month :(

I think you are referring to the Black Tally Ho Fan Back in this eBay listing:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Black-Fan-Back-Deck-Tally-Ho-Playing-Cards-Poker-Size-USPCC-Limited-New-Sealed-/351480780132?hash=item51d5e31564:g:W-sAAOSwrklVaOfa

The listing says it was made by Murphy's Magic and has a double backer and poker guide (poker hand card thing), so I am assuming it is the same deck...there are other listings that offer it for a little less ;)
« Last Edit: March 11, 2017, 08:19:20 PM by Cardfool »
 

Re: Wondering who commissioned these Decks (Tally-Ho, Bicycle)
« Reply #7 on: March 12, 2017, 12:50:17 AM »
 

Don Boyer

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Well, Don, the deck I'm speaking of doesn't have a date code on the Ace or anywhere else.  There's two full size, full color identical Jokers.  It's a Black Fan Back, not reversed, and it comes with a double backer and the aforementioned "poker hand card thing" lol.  I don't know the technical name for them.  The only date is the copyright date of 2015 on the bottom of the tuck.  I also canceled the blue seal Tallys.  I couldn't bring myself to pay $60 for two decks of cards.  Maybe next month :(

I think you are referring to the Black Tally Ho Fan Back in this eBay listing:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Black-Fan-Back-Deck-Tally-Ho-Playing-Cards-Poker-Size-USPCC-Limited-New-Sealed-/351480780132?hash=item51d5e31564:g:W-sAAOSwrklVaOfa

The listing says it was made by Murphy's Magic and has a double backer and poker guide (poker hand card thing), so I am assuming it is the same deck...there are other listings that offer it for a little less ;)

Thanks for the info on that.  They do look a lot like the other ones I've seen in magic shops, but I don't remember them having a poker hand ranking card in them.  I recall them having a blank facer and a double backer.

Murphy's lists them as made exclusively for them and prices them at $7 a pack - but Murphy's is a wholesaler only and doesn't sell at retail to the public.  You'd have to get a magic shop to order it for you at the customary markup for profit margin.
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Re: Wondering who commissioned these Decks (Tally-Ho, Bicycle)
« Reply #8 on: March 15, 2017, 06:13:17 PM »
 

MrSlaybury

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Well, Don, the deck I'm speaking of doesn't have a date code on the Ace or anywhere else.  There's two full size, full color identical Jokers.  It's a Black Fan Back, not reversed, and it comes with a double backer and the aforementioned "poker hand card thing" lol.  I don't know the technical name for them.  The only date is the copyright date of 2015 on the bottom of the tuck.  I also canceled the blue seal Tallys.  I couldn't bring myself to pay $60 for two decks of cards.  Maybe next month :(

I think you are referring to the Black Tally Ho Fan Back in this eBay listing:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Black-Fan-Back-Deck-Tally-Ho-Playing-Cards-Poker-Size-USPCC-Limited-New-Sealed-/351480780132?hash=item51d5e31564:g:W-sAAOSwrklVaOfa

The listing says it was made by Murphy's Magic and has a double backer and poker guide (poker hand card thing), so I am assuming it is the same deck...there are other listings that offer it for a little less ;)

Thanks for the info on that.  They do look a lot like the other ones I've seen in magic shops, but I don't remember them having a poker hand ranking card in them.  I recall them having a blank facer and a double backer.

Murphy's lists them as made exclusively for them and prices them at $7 a pack - but Murphy's is a wholesaler only and doesn't sell at retail to the public.  You'd have to get a magic shop to order it for you at the customary markup for profit margin.


Well, on every website I've seen them listed (including that eBay post obv), they say they were produced by Murphy's Magic.  I sent an email to someone there in hopes they could tell me, but I haven't heard back.  I buy them from Penguin, and I start hyperventilating if my supply gets below 4 decks lol.  I actually went as far to ask them how their stock was, because if it was low I was going to buy as much as I could.  They told me they had plenty, and they don't see any reason for me to "buy a lifetime supply" lol.  I love those guys.

Aloys Studio has produced both Black Fan Backs and Circle Backs.  The former being part of their Rose Series.  They circle Backs come with a blank and a DB, while the Fan Backs only come with a Blank. 

The Black decks with the 2015 copyright, which we believe are produced by Murphy's,  are of amazing quality.  Twice as good as the Aloys' product.  I put an ad up on here trying to find the Circle back version, and I've scoured the web to no avail.  At any rate, thanks for the info and convo on my fav decks :)
 

Re: Wondering who commissioned these Decks (Tally-Ho, Bicycle)
« Reply #9 on: March 15, 2017, 06:19:47 PM »
 

MrSlaybury

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Just a quick update.  My beloved Black decks with the 2015 CR are listed on Murphy's website.  Good to know :)

http://www.murphysmagic.com/product.aspx?id=36423
« Last Edit: March 15, 2017, 06:20:40 PM by MrSlaybury »
 

Re: Wondering who commissioned these Decks (Tally-Ho, Bicycle)
« Reply #10 on: March 18, 2017, 12:43:10 PM »
 

Don Boyer

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Just a quick update.  My beloved Black decks with the 2015 CR are listed on Murphy's website.  Good to know :)

http://www.murphysmagic.com/product.aspx?id=36423

Yes - I said as much in my prior post!  They sell wholesale to magic shops, not at retail to the public.
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Re: Wondering who commissioned these Decks (Tally-Ho, Bicycle)
« Reply #11 on: March 27, 2017, 11:31:24 PM »
 

MrSlaybury

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Sorry, Don. 😔
 

Re: Wondering who commissioned these Decks (Tally-Ho, Bicycle)
« Reply #12 on: March 30, 2017, 07:40:23 PM »
 

Don Boyer

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Sorry, Don. 😔

Well, that's not a bad thing - it means most local magic shops either already carry it or can order it for you.  Many Internet magic shops will also be carrying it, though of course not the ones that specialize in selling just their own products, like Ellusionist, Theory11, etc.
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