Some older guy at a flee market was selling old Tally Ho's for 3 bucks a piece, all opened but in good enough condition to be bought. He ended up giving me a deal for 2 bricks for about 50 bucks. Overall AMAZING deal!

Both deck by Ellusionist, IN THE SAME SERIES. Which do you love?

Occasionally, Art of Play, will have whats called 2 Dollar Tuesdays. The idea behind it is any deck on the site can be 2 dollars for that Tuesday.

Facebook post about the sale:
https://www.facebook.com/artofplayingcards/posts/376328289161144

Back story by Jackson

I have always had an intense love of the historic art of Bank Notes and currency. The detail and stunning line work has always captivated me. I had always wanted to create my own version of the art style but just couldn't find the right vehicle. When I thought of making a deck of playing cards that was inspired by bank notes it was an easy fit and I new that I had found my chance. The Federal 52 is more than just one deck but an entire series of them. There are so many beautiful bank notes throughout history I couldn't see them any other way. Each deck draws from different styles of bank notes throughout relativity young life of American currency. The original Federal 52 deck that started it all is inspired mostly by modern day currency. These design cues can be most easily seen in each of the Ace of Spades, as each unique Ace amplifies the specific history note that the deck was inspired by.

With the Federal 52 I wanted to do something that hadn't been done before and create something that was completely fresh and unique but yet very familiar to all. I spent over than 250 hours on the design of the cards and Tuck. I appreciate all the backers of my Kickstarter who helped make the deck a reality.

The Battle

Fed 52 vs Monarchs

I started a chat with a friend on Facebook regarding what deck did custom everything first, and while we came up to, what we think is the answer. We would love to have more input.

"If you don't include any decks from T11, Ellusionist, D&D, or USPC direct... what was the first deck to be FULLY custom.  Tuck, ace, courts, seal... everything."

After much debate.. we looked into the actuators, Tendril, Vortex... but it seems like the one we both agreed upon (after looking at old pictures of my collection) was the Bicycle Bape deck.  It met all of the criteria... custom everything.








Can you guys think of a deck that might have come before this one that didn't come from the big 4?

Not a re-coloring of courts... CUSTOM courts

Back story by Lee McKenzie

I remember when I got the first call through from Ellusionist about the next deck we were going to create. There was talk of cheats, mechanics and underground card games. Big action and risky moves in the seedy shadows of the gambling world. I was hooked, instantly. This was a story of Daniel Madison, whos skill at the card table and deceit over his early years finally caught up with him to almost pay the ultimate price.

This was a deck for those guys. The expert card men who've spent years perfecting their craft. They walk in and out just like any other player. Not standing out, trying to blend in as much as possible. But when the time is right, they make their move, take it down, and don't bat an eyelid. Nerves of steel and a cool hand is what it takes to sit down at the table and do what no-one suspects. Acting like it was just fate at work, when you know damn well it wasn't. This was Artifice. In the words of Erdnase, "Making the hazard".

We wanted to create something that captured the authentic mechanic with taste and distinguished style. The design took on a real class, reflecting the precision and standards that any card man would have to hold themselves to at the table. From the maverick card tables in the old west, to the riverboat poker games, to the present day underground games and high rollers.

The back design featured fine damask print masquerading in the light and shadows of a finely tailored pin stripe-esque canvas. Adorning the center and outer edges of the card would be authentic, timeless metallic stylings and detail that ooze the notion that these cards, and the person holding them, are in a class all by themselves.

All 54 faces would get the same great attention to detail in order to fully embody the Artifice message with every deal of a card. If the back wasn't enough, you can see all the story you need to with the custom Ace of spades. 2 genuine derringers back to back with elegant metal flourishes reminiscent of the unique engravings featured on some of the finest made guns of their time. An authentic character to be reckoned with.

I tried to accurately capture the right tone for these classic, dark deeded cards. It needed to be perfect. I myself connected so much to the theme and concept behind the Artifice. It's a way of life. To step out on your own, to try and do something bold that may or may not work. Walking into the unknown and not really knowing how it will all unfold. All you know is it's something you have to do if you want to make your mark.

No-one is going to give you everything you desire in this life. It's up to us to go out and take it. It we want things we've never had, we have to do things we've never done. That's my own mindset, and also the one behind Kings & Crooks, my new playing card company. That's what drove me with Artifice, to try and design a deck of playing cards that would command attention so loudly, without saying a word. To embrace a league elegance and artistry only experienced by those who've walked that bold path, made their move, and come out alive on the other side with a story of their own to tell.

This is Artifice and it's one of my absolute favourite decks for so many reasons. Even if someone else would've had the pleasure to design it, it still would be. I'm so thankful to be the man Ellusionist chose to call when they wanted to make Artifice happen. It just fits so well with me and I hope everyone else really 'gets' what we tried to say with Artifice.

Vaudeville is a beautiful deck reflective of a great story too, there's no taking denying that.

Let the battle commence

The Battle

Artifice designed by Lee McKenzie and produced through Ellusionist or Vaudeville product by The Blue Crown

Back Story on Actuators by Lance T. Miller

They were my first completely solo project. I hand Illustrated the entire deck including the court cards, and the tuck box graphics. I designed everything, chose every aspect based on being inundated in the Steampunk community. I even went so far as to sit down with a Mechanical Engineer to make sure that not only were the gears viable in terms of working a machine (There are decks out there with broken gear patterns, the gears wouldn't actually turn) but I also had them measure the teeth with me to make sure that the strength of the teeth could support the theoretical grinding of the gears.
That is how much detail I go into in a given project. I also understood that the Steampunk community has a very DIY type of feel, so I left purposeful flaws in my illustration and let it breath as art. Further I knew that in the Victorian era, they would not have had plain white boxes so I went with a composite paper stock that was not bleached white since they would not have had that process. Every decision was made to stay real to what Steampunk entails and I even wrote a story line for the deck that depicts the Queens as the commanders at arms.

The Battle

Actuators from Lance Miller Decks or The Deck of the Extraordinary Voyages. Which do you think is better?

On August 19th till the 31st the deck battles will be some of your favorite designers deck versus...

The decks THE designers wanted to battle.

Took months of planing to get the idea to what I really wanted it to be but it happened. I reached out to some of the best designers in the world today to participate. The idea behind it is each designer picks a deck they designed, along with a deck that has some sort of relation to another deck, whether they share similar design elements, have been inspired by the opponent deck. or if they were designed about the same time.

Like I said though, we didn't chose just your average designers, we picked some of the best out there! Such as Alex Chin, Paul Carpenter, and someone who has done work for one of the biggest card/magic companies in the world!

Any questions, concerns, or comments? Feel free to post them down below or PM me, I'll answer em all!

Here we have 2 decks meant for gambling. Which one if your favorite?

Just announced via the Royal Optik Kickstarter. The Blue Blood Redux.

From the Kickstarter update:

"And now for the surprise news! After receiving so many emails from backers, collectors and playing card enthusiasts around the world who missed out on our Blue Blood deck when we first brought it out a year and a half ago – and cannot find this sold out deck anywhere –  we decided to bring the indigo monarchs back for one last appearence. Blue Blood Redux will be the title of our second edition of this deck design and we are hoping to release it on Kickstarter the week of August 12th. There will be some new court cards –  a coup in the original heart suit, has seen the King overthrown by the original Jack of Hearts who truly makes for a unique and awesome suicide King.  His replacement in the ranks is another stealth assassin who helped with the royal overthrow and has a watchful eye on his rogue king.

There has also been a replacement in the Spade Court as well – a new Jack has risen to take the spot of a vanquished warrior. Stealth and far more dangerous than his comrade he is a lethal threat ready for battle.   

Aside from the court changes, we added two new animals for the Ace of Diamond & Ace of Hearts cards.  There are other exciting new changes to the deck that we hope you will enjoy and that we feel make this version of the deck Blue Blood through and through!

Just a note before closing, the Blue Blood Redux deck is in addition to our six deck series - it is not our fourth deck. We are bringing it back by popular demand and to give a second chance to everyone who wanted to have all the decks in our series."



http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1244376122/royal-optik-playing-card-deck/posts/557953#comments

Both beautifully customized but different enough to be loved by all!

As suggested by the homie froggo!

We have 2 decks made by people other then the USPCC, one in the US, one thats not! THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE!