Author (Read 135321 times)

Don Boyer · « **Reply #375 on:** September 30, 2019, 06:37:23 AM »

Quote from: Calvingrace on September 30, 2019, 06:35:08 AM

My Tahoe collection. All 3 vintage generations of Tahoe's. All foil sealed

Very cool. Are they in a Carat Case? Looks nice.

Calvingrace · « **Reply #376 on:** September 30, 2019, 06:38:51 AM »

My Arrco Tahoe collection. Generations 1, 2, and 3 all foil sealed

Calvingrace · « **Reply #377 on:** September 30, 2019, 06:41:07 AM »

Yes they're in a 3 deck carat case.. sorry I just made my account and I have no idea what I'm doing..

NCC1888 · « **Reply #378 on:** November 01, 2019, 11:01:49 AM »

I've only been collecting for 2 years and like others went different directions until I decided which direction to go. Obviously it's National. I was lucky enough to win this beauty at the Convention this year.

NCC1888 · « **Reply #379 on:** November 01, 2019, 11:18:00 AM »

A favorite deck of mine is worth only a few dollars. But I received it from a lady (Annarae Tong) that as a young girl was a POW in the Phillipines. Her family were missionaries captured by the Japanese. After being liberated and placed on a ship to the U. S. she was given these cards to play with by a Coast Guard man. His friend was a Pharmacist Mate that took care of her sister. His name was Byron E. Barr. This man was known in Hollywood as Gig Young. I have a signed letter from her with the history of the deck. Later she even reunited with the POW Camp Commander.

torcams · « **Reply #380 on:** November 03, 2019, 01:12:34 PM »

That Crescent deck is amazing.

Chuqii · « **Reply #381 on:** November 20, 2019, 06:38:17 PM »

Got my first Junior No. 21 decks. No boxes or jokers, but you've got to start somewhere.

torcams · « **Reply #382 on:** December 12, 2019, 11:48:12 PM »

Quote from: Chuqii on November 20, 2019, 06:38:17 PM

Got my first Junior No. 21 decks. No boxes or jokers, but you've got to start somewhere.

That is a great looking Ace of Spades!

Don Boyer · « **Reply #383 on:** December 17, 2019, 06:18:52 AM »

Quote from: torcams on December 12, 2019, 11:48:12 PM

Quote from: Chuqii on November 20, 2019, 06:38:17 PM
Got my first Junior No. 21 decks. No boxes or jokers, but you've got to start somewhere.
That is a great looking Ace of Spades!

The old-school aces do tend to be pretty awesome. Some vintage-inspired decks have done a nice job of replicating them. One of my favorites in that category would be the Bicycle Gold Seal New Fan Back by Zenneth Kok - he did them in black and white. They're getting a bit more scarce these days but they're still out there if you look. Amazon has the black ones, while the white are much more rare (only 1,000 were made, if I recall). Coterie1902.com has a deal for the pair - spend $100 at their site and you can buy both for $25.

freihaut · « **Reply #384 on:** March 19, 2020, 05:06:20 AM »

Wow some amazing cards. I've recently become interested in vintage Kems and was hoping someone might have an answer to this question.

After a new set of Kem cards I bought degraded to an unusable condition after 3 months, simply sitting in their case under my coffee table in an Australian summer I started looking for older ones from the original company. I bought a nice 845 bridge size double set in the upright, presumably Bakelite, case and an unopened poker size 1082 deck in the soft plastic case. My question is when did Kem start making poker size cards and were they ever made back in the Bakelite day as the very old decks all seem to be bridge size.

Chuqii · « **Reply #385 on:** March 19, 2020, 03:21:09 PM »

That is a great question, to which I do not have an answer. What I believe is the earliest KEM poker size deck that I have has a very strange date code on the Ace of Spades: K125116 It is also the only deck I have seen with a regular style tuck box. From the style of the tuck box I'd guess 1970s. My other poker size KEMs are from 1986 and 1987 in the single vinyl cases.

There is a reference to a "Poker" deck in a 1940 catalog, but I've never actually seen one, and I don't know if it was poker sized.

RFS1972 · « **Reply #386 on:** March 19, 2020, 03:47:40 PM »

I believe the one labeled as a "Poker" deck actually says Poker on the card back and is the name of the deck. In all cases I have seen Kem list their poker-sized cards as "Wide" and not "poker-sized". Here is the one that I have that is named "Poker", which, ironically, is bridge-sized.

As for Wide size, I have never seen anything earlier than the ones that arrive in the vinyl cases.

Chuqii · « **Reply #387 on:** March 20, 2020, 12:36:33 AM »

I can?t pull up the actual magazine, but a google books search turned up a 1967 reference to wide size KEMs. Here?s the screenshot:

Don Boyer · « **Reply #388 on:** March 23, 2020, 03:38:01 AM »

Quote from: freihaut on March 19, 2020, 05:06:20 AM

Wow some amazing cards. I've recently become interested in vintage Kems and was hoping someone might have an answer to this question.

After a new set of Kem cards I bought degraded to an unusable condition after 3 months, simply sitting in their case under my coffee table in an Australian summer I started looking for older ones from the original company. I bought a nice 845 bridge size double set in the upright, presumably Bakelite, case and an unopened poker size 1082 deck in the soft plastic case. My question is when did Kem start making poker size cards and were they ever made back in the Bakelite day as the very old decks all seem to be bridge size.

Yeah, plastic and heat don't get along together... Always store in a cool, dry place!

Have you tried washing them? It might revive them, assuming they didn't just turn into a puddle in the box.

Quote from: Chuqii on March 19, 2020, 03:21:09 PM

That is a great question, to which I do not have an answer. What I believe is the earliest KEM poker size deck that I have has a very strange date code on the Ace of Spades: K125116 It is also the only deck I have seen with a regular style tuck box. From the style of the tuck box I'd guess 1970s. My other poker size KEMs are from 1986 and 1987 in the single vinyl cases.

There is a reference to a "Poker" deck in a 1940 catalog, but I've never actually seen one, and I don't know if it was poker sized.

That is a kick-ass find! I've never seen Kems in a paper box like that. I would even wager to guess, based on the box design, that it could even be from circa 1960s. Is there any ZIP codes mentioned anywhere on the cards or the tuck? That would definitely date it to 1965 or later. Without ZIP codes, it's more likely (though still not a guarantee) that they were pre-1965.

Quote from: RFS1972 on March 19, 2020, 03:47:40 PM

I believe the one labeled as a "Poker" deck actually says Poker on the card back and is the name of the deck. In all cases I have seen Kem list their poker-sized cards as "Wide" and not "poker-sized". Here is the one that I have that is named "Poker", which, ironically, is bridge-sized.

As for Wide size, I have never seen anything earlier than the ones that arrive in the vinyl cases.

It is very ironic, but less so these days. More poker players (and casinos) use plastic decks in bridge size than poker size, since the popularity of Texas Hold 'Em exploded. It's easier to hide the narrow cards under your hand when peeking at the indices from the table.

Chuqii · « **Reply #389 on:** April 08, 2020, 01:54:22 PM »

These are gorgeous. National Card Co. El Dorado No. 49 decks. Cards are gilded, gold backs. Awesome tuck boxes.

Don Boyer · « **Reply #390 on:** April 29, 2020, 06:34:09 AM »

Quote from: Chuqii on April 08, 2020, 01:54:22 PM

These are gorgeous. National Card Co. El Dorado No. 49 decks. Cards are gilded, gold backs. Awesome tuck boxes.

Man, they used to make some lovely boxes back then...

Chuqii · « **Reply #391 on:** May 19, 2020, 02:00:23 PM »

Here's US60 Scout #108, also posted in Hochman Updates section.

kack · « **Reply #392 on:** August 25, 2020, 10:28:58 AM »

I finally decided to open this deck. It feels so nice, the pictures are great and the gold gilt is premium.
My guess is these are from Japan as all of the cards have a picture of a Japanese city.

Don Boyer · « **Reply #393 on:** August 29, 2020, 06:59:10 AM »

Quote from: kack on August 25, 2020, 10:28:58 AM

I finally decided to open this deck. It feels so nice, the pictures are great and the gold gilt is premium.
My guess is these are from Japan as all of the cards have a picture of a Japanese city.

That would be my guess as well. There's two strong contenders for who made the deck - either Nintendo (yes, they still make playing cards, it's how they got their start) or Angel Playing Cards.

Chuqii · « **Reply #394 on:** October 12, 2020, 03:30:55 PM »

Got these in last week. One of my favorite sets of court cards. Hart's French Whist No. 68 with box and joker.

torcams · « **Reply #395 on:** October 19, 2020, 09:46:45 PM »

nice Clay!

tobyedwards · « **Reply #396 on:** October 26, 2020, 02:08:34 PM »

Harkening back to earlier posts pertaining to the Congress lacquer backs featuring the Dundreary jokers prior to the advent of named jokers, I thought I would share an image from a tobacco advertising envelope which shows this particular gentleman in reference to a brand of cigars bearing both his name and likeness. One would have thought that this noble personage would be better suited to a higher grade cigar than just a five cent variety but at least we can see that he was worthy of greater representation than just the joker from a deck of Congress playing cards. I do not know if this particular brand of cigar also had an advertising deck of cards issued, as was the case with so many other stars of the day, but I continue to be on the lookout for one and I will be sure to share it with the viewers of this website if that lucky day ever arrives.

NCC1888 · « **Reply #397 on:** November 01, 2020, 04:25:24 PM »

This label may be for the same brand.

torcams · « **Reply #398 on:** November 02, 2020, 06:43:02 PM »

Toby and Dave - WOW - those are a great ad and label!

JohnEdelson · « **Reply #399 on:** December 17, 2020, 04:59:43 AM »

I have a question about the joker shown by CHESS from his Uncle Sam deck pictured above. It was from the late 1800s by Standard Playing Cards of Chicago.

I have a few versions of this joker.

The image is of a good imp capturing some sort of evil creature in a box and exclaiming:
I have got Him!

I am convinced there must have been a folktale or myth popular back then which this illustrates. Anybody know?