Artemis Playing Cards by ARK Playing Cards (Kickstarter)

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/elementplayingcards/artemis-playing-cards-by-ark

An exquisite luxury tuck case and deck of Artemis-themed playing cards

Current funding level: already funded
Kickstarter ends: Saturday, March 15, 2025

In recent years, ARK Playing Cards has been knocking it out of the park with their stunning luxury playing cards.  These typically feature decks that come with extravagant tuck cases that unfold into remarkable origami creations like kites, playing cards with exquisite artwork and holographic foils, as well as limited edition boxed sets.  It's a dream for playing card collections.  And so is their newest project: Artemis Playing Cards. 



This corresponds to a project that ARK completed about a year ago: Apollo Playing Cards.  This featured Apollo, famous from Greek mythology as one of the twelve main gods associated with Mount Olympus.  The tuck case had a pop-out feature that unfolded and rotated to form a complete circle, representing the sun which symbolizes Apollo.

But Apollo had a twin sister, Artemis, who was associated with the moon, and that's what this new project is about.  Artemis is considered to be the goddess of both the moon and the hunt, and to embody what is pure and noble, and so these are the themes that the artwork draws on, with a baroque style. 

It features a similar tuck box mechanism as the Apollo project, this time creating a full-moon shape, along with artwork that features Artemis.  Behind the tuck case is a mechanism that employs a sliding structure and magnets to make all this work smoothly.  The image on the circular tuck-case display features sacred deer pulling Artemis on the hunt in a golden chariot. 



Appearing throughout the deck is the central figure of the moon itself.  The card backs are framed by the architecture of the Artemis temple, along with other details from the rest of the deck.  There's been careful attention to detail for the images found on all the cards, which capture aspects of the stories of the famous gods and goddesses of Greek mythology.

Once again the card faces depict the famous twelve gods of the ancient Greek pantheon, as well as other aspects of Greek mythology. 



As with previous ARK projects, the Artemis Playing Cards is available with four different levels and styles of luxury packaging, and the main decks are as follows:

● Standard Deck (limited edition of 3333): single deck (US$30)
● Artist Boxset (limited edition of 999): holographic foil deck & monochromatic deck (US$75)
● White Beech Boxset (limited edition of 333): gold foil deck with gilded edges, plus a gold coin (US$185)
● Luxury Black (limited edition of 99): black and white deck, plus an embossed metal plate (~US$150, only available as part of the "All-In" reward)

Extra add-ons like uncut sheets and coins are also available.



Here's a preview of how each of the above four packaging and deck options look.

1. Standard Deck

The standard deck comes with all the features that make this project unique, including the special tuck case that unfolds into the circular moon shape shown above.



The court cards depict the Greek pantheon, while the number cards adopt a similar baroque artwork style.





The Ace of Spades has extra detail, with its shape comprised of Artemis with a cypress tree; a scene that also incorporates one of her deer and a buzzard.  But all the aces include extra details of design.



The Jokers each picture items associated with Artemis, one a bow and the other the skull of a golden-horned deer, while silk ribbons and the hanging moon and pinecones further complement the scene.



2. Artist Box set

The Artist Box set is beautifully presented in a lovely box, which includes two decks, the first being a deck with holographic foil.



The holographic foil deck

The gift box opens up to reveal two decks, and the real highlight is the one that is a vibrant green, drawing on the theme of tranquility and harmony associated with Artemis.



The cards a special holographic finish that helps emphasize the moon's circular shape, providing a further link to the deck's theme. The project describes it as "a special gold foil coating meticulously applied between the resilient black core paper and high-quality printing inks. From different angles, the surface creates dynamic, multi-dimensional circular light refraction effects."



This deck also has edges with green/gold gilding.  Here's a look at some of the other cards:



Like the standard deck, the tuck box can be unfolded into the stunning circular moon shape.



The monochromatic deck

The other deck in the Artist Box set is called the "special edition".



It has a monochromatic design for all the artwork.





The album

The Artist Boxset comes in a gift box that can be disassembled and changed into a bilingual English-Chinese book that displays large pictures with artwork from the deck itself, along with aspects of the design process.



3. Beech Box set

This set has a box with white beech wood, with a lovely embossed display, inside of which is a gold deck.





The gold deck here really does look gorgeous.





To complete the flashy look, this deck has the added luxury of gold gilded edges.



Once again the tuck box can be opened up into a moon shaped circle.



Here's a closer look at some of the beautiful artwork that is part of the circular display.



There's also a special collector's coin that comes with this set.



4. Luxury Black set

This special deck is only available to collectors opting for the "All In" reward. 



The cards feature artwork in white set against a jet black background.





In keeping with the overall colour scheme of this deck it has fully black edges instead of metallic gilding.



An individually numbered embossed metal plate is another special feature of this reward.  Head to the project page to see some more images and animations that help showcase the beauty of these gorgeous collector's pieces.

I continue to be impressed with what Ark Playing Cards is producing, and this project is another fine example of their creativity and quality!

Kickstarter link

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/elementplayingcards/artemis-playing-cards-by-ark

Kickstarter - Mucha & Van Gogh V2 Playing Cards (by 52 MUSEE)

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/208530852/mucha-and-van-gogh-v2-playing-cards-by-52-musee

Luxurious holographic foil playing cards with famous art works by Mucha and Van Gogh

Cost: ~US$16 Standard Edition decks, ~US$20 Special Edition decks, ~US$45 Collector Boxes
Funding level: over 100% funded
Project ends: Friday, 13 June 2024



It's well been said that a deck of playing cards is like a miniature portfolio, containing a gallery of 52 artworks plus jokers.  That makes it the ideal place to showcase actual works of art, including famous paintings.

Last year saw TCC Playing Cards debut their new label "52 MUS?E" to do exactly that, by combining famous art-pieces from renowned artists with luxury holographic foil.  They've produced a number of projects already, including ones that featured big name artists like Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh, and Pablo Picasso, as well as the famous 19th century Japanese painter Utagawa Kuniyoshi.  These projects were a big success, which is not surprising since the iridescent colors of holographic foils brings classic works of art to life in a way we've never seen them before.

Their latest project is called Mucha & Van Gogh V2 Playing Cards, and gives collectors another opportunity to enjoy famous paintings in stunning holographic colours.  This time around we get works by Czech artist Alphonse Mucha, along with some previously seen and some new works from Van Gogh, who has proven to be a popular favourite.   For each artist there are three decks: Standard Edition (a limited edition of 2000), Special Edition (limited edition of 500), and Gilded Special Edition (a limited edition of 500).

Mucha Standard Edition deck

Perhaps it's just my own ignorance about the world of art, but Alphonse Mucha was someone I'd not come across before.  He was Czech artist who is considered to be one of the leading figures of the Art Nouveau movement.  His art was typical of the era, and had a significant impact on the worlds of art and design. 

He's especially well-known for theatrical posters he designed for the famous Parisian actress Sarah Bernhardt, such as Gismonda (1894) and La Dame aux Cam?lias (1896).  Gismonda and The Zodiac (1896), another of his famous works, make an appearance on the front and back of the tuck box respectively.  As is fitting for a work of art, the tuck box gets some extra loving attention: it is not your basic box, but has a side-drawer mechanism.  Gismonda also reappears on the card backs.







As the project puts it, Mucha is known for using "delicate, flowing lines, vibrant yet soft colors, and highly decorative natural elements."  Female figures were a favourite subject, and they are "typically graceful and elegant, perfectly blending with ornamental patterns of plants and flowers to create a dreamy and beautiful artistic atmosphere." 



An example of this is found in his renowned series The Seasons (1896), in which he personifies spring, summer, autumn, and winter with four elegant female figures. 





Works like these are what you'll find throughout the deck, including on all the number cards, each of which features its own gorgeous artwork.







Mucha Special Edition deck

Some collectors may recognize some of the artworks from the above deck, because TCC has previously produced holographic decks featuring Mucha's work in
this Kickstarter project.  The Standard deck is effectively a re-skinned version of that, with new artwork on the card backs, and a new tuck case.  It will especially be of interest for collectors who missed out previously, and for the completionists. 

The Special Edition deck caters for those wanting something entirely new.  This is a limited edition with individually numbered seals and with completely different illustrations on the card faces. 



While the Standard edition has a red box and red-backed cards, the Special edition has a white box and white-backed cards, featuring a contemplative woman from Mucha's Meditation (1898).



The card faces depict some of Mucha's other famous works, as well as some of his lesser known pieces.









Mucha Collection Box

Corresponding to each of the Special Edition decks is a gilded version.  The Gilded Special Edition in both instances has the same cards, but adds lavish gold gilding to the edges of the cards.  This is only available as part of a collection box (500 only) in which it is also paired with a Standard Edition.  The Mucha Collector's Box is finished with silver foil on red.









Van Gogh V2 Standard Edition deck

Little introduction will be needed for legendary Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890), who had a huge influence on Post-Impressionism art and anticiapted Expressionism.  The V2 Standard Edition has the same artwork on the card faces of the Van Gogh V1 Standard deck featured in this Kickstarter project. 

Like the Mucha Standard Edition, it is effectively a re-skinned version, with a more lavish tuck-box that has a whole new look, and different card backs.  While the V1 Standard Edition was inspired by Van Gogh's famous painting The Starry Night, the v2 deck features his renowned Sunflowers, with its instantly recognizable tones of bright yellow and its familiar look. 





The tuck box is embellished with gold foil, and like the Mucha Standard Edition, features a side-drawer mechanism.  The card backs use the same artwork as the tuck box, giving it a very different look and feel from the V1 deck, even though the card faces are unchanged.













Van Gogh V2 Special Edition deck

The Special Edition is inspired by Van Gogh's 1887 self-portrait, and instead of yellow the main colour used for the card backs and tuck box is white.

The choice to use a self-portrait as a recurring motif in the Special Edition deck makes sense once we look at the card faces, which all use different artworks than the cards from the Standard Deck.  Most are closely related to the man himself, including no less than 14 different self-portraits, all displaying different aspects of the artist and his emotions.













Van Gogh Collection Box

The Van Gogh Collector's Box is finished with silver foil on yellow.  Like the Mucha Collector's Box, it features a pair of decks, one being a Gilded Special Edition, the other being a Standard Edition.









The Holographic Foil

I've got some of the previous decks in this series, and you may be wondering if the holographic foil makes any real difference to the artwork.  The answer is: Absolutely, and it's the main reason I love these decks. 

Because the cards have holographic foil on the faces, the colours and the overall effect of the art depicted on the cards changes as you alter the angle that you hold the cards up to the light.  I've been really impressed with the impact this has, and I expect that anyone who enjoys the artwork of these artists will find a lot to like here. 



Add-ons are available for extra decks, and for uncut sheets.

Kickstarter link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/208530852/mucha-and-van-gogh-v2-playing-cards-by-52-musee

I've just heard that the production of this set is now complete, and these decks and accessories are currently arriving into the hands of backers.  As a result, the company will soon be making it a regular product on their website. 

They've just made it available for pre-orders on their website, and those will ship next week already, after which it will become a regular product.  You can use this link to see all the products for this project.  Here?s the link for the collector's set:

https://roomonecards.com/products/jack-the-ripper-sherlock-holmes-playing-cards-collector-set

So if you missed the Kickstarter, or want to get more from this set, this is a great opportunity to pick this up!

Room 52x52 Playing Cards by Lunzi & TCC (Kickstarter)

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/smoothwriting/room-5252-playing-cards-by-lunzi-and-tcc

Hand-drawn custom playing cards inspired by common doors

Price: $9 (Room 52x52 Mystery Deck), $9 (Joker 52 deck), $52 (half-brick, includes 1x Colored Collection Deck)
Current funding level: already funded
Kickstarter ends: Thursday, May 15, 2025



It can take a bit to wrap your head around how the different decks in this project work, but I managed to figure it out, this overview should set things out clearly for you.

Playing card enthusiasts who have followed TCC's output in the last couple of years will be very familiar with the name of Lunzi.  He's a playing card designer from China who has produced several projects as part of his "Smooth Writing" series.  Besides his Childhood Playing Cards, the two that are especially noteworthy are Room52 Playing Cards, and Sleep Walk Playing Cards.



Room52 was inspired by the motels and key tags, and uses the shape of a door to evoke the concept of a room.  Sleep Walk takes us the world behind the door.  Now in his newest project, Room 52?52 Playing Cards, which is currently up for funding on Kickstarter, we return to the original door of the first deck, but this time we will be exploring 54 different doors.

The ad copy describes the main concept as follows: "Each door is a secret path to a different room, a different scene, or even a different world. When you stop in front of a door, you don't have to actually step in, but your thoughts will already be traveling through it. You will wonder what kind of owner lives behind the door. And what untold stories are hidden... This is not only a collection of doors but also a feast for the imagination, a mind travel that breaks the routine ... Each door leads to unknown and undefined spaces. Why not plunge in and let your imagination run wild?" 

Here are all the different doors you will meet in the course of this journey:



It's a fascinating and interesting idea, and there are details on the faces of the cards that work this out further.  For instance, the Ace of Spades has the words "It's not a Door But a Room."  Again we're being invited to use our imagination: "Here, the door is not only a passageway connecting different rooms but also a feast for the imagination, a wonderful journey to the depths of the heart that breaks the mold."

Altogether the project includes four different types of decks:
● Room 52x52 Mystery Deck (limited to 52 x 54 decks)
● Line Art Deck (limited to 52 decks)
● Colored Collection Deck (limited to 300 decks)
● Joker 52 Deck (limited to 1000 decks)



Colored Collection Deck

The Colored Collection Deck is one that most collectors will want to pick up, and only 300 of these are available.



As you know, a standard deck contains 52 cards and 2 jokers, making up 54 cards in total.  The Colored deck features a different card back on each card, picturing a total of 54 different doors.  This is the deck to get if you want to see the artwork for all 54 doors in a single deck.



It's really an art collector's piece, because with every card back being different, it's effectively a marked deck, and can't be used for card games.  But it sure looks great!  Only 300 of these have been produced, and virtually the only way to get them is by picking up a half brick box, which automatically includes 1x Colored Collection Deck along with 5 different Room 52x52 Mystery Decks.

All the doors have different names, and the creators have published a complete list of these, which you can find right here.  They offer the following explanation of how these reflect different styles:  "You?ll notice the designs span across regions, cultures, and styles ? each door hinting at the story behind it."  The examples they share begin with the "Ancestral Hall Door", "Chinese Couplets Door", and "Cantonese Iron Door" shown here. "From iconic Chinese-style doors ? including ancestral temple gates guarded by stone lions, to festive red couplets welcoming prosperity." 



These next three are all examples of a "Georgian Style Door", "blending Baroque curves and Rococo ornaments into architectural harmony."



There's also some more whimsical doors that revolve around fun concepts: "Doors like the "Brain Door," the eerie "Cthulhu Door," and the mysterious "Osseous Crypt Door" are designed to spark your imagination and encourage wild theories about the world behind them." 



But that's just a small taste of what is included - there are plenty more to discover!  Here's an overview of all 54 different card backs.



The typographic design on the faces is evokes a vintage feel, incorporating some creativity and imagination.  While somewhat similar to Lunzi's original Room52 deck, there is a whole new look, so they aren't identical.





Here's a look at the non-court cards.  I especially like the approach that has been taken to the number cards. 







Room 52x52 Mystery Deck

This is the "standard" item available, but the "mystery" element ensures that it is anything but standard.  As mentioned already, the Colored Collection Deck lets you see all 54 different doors, but you can't use it for card games because it's basically a marked deck.  That's where the Mystery Deck comes in. 



With 54 different doors, there are 54 different card backs available, and each Mystery Deck adopts one of these doors, and uses it for all the cards in that deck.  This way you can use it as a regular deck.  There are also 54 different tuck boxes, each corresponding to whatever door design is used for the card backs of the deck inside.



But you don't know in advance what "door" you're going to get for your deck, because each of these is packaged in an identical opaque black package.  So you'll only find out which of the 54 doors your deck uses when you open up your Mystery package. 





There are only 52 decks for each of the 54 different doors, and they are individually numbered. 

When you buy a half-brick of Mystery Decks, you get a Colored Collection Deck, and it is guaranteed that the remaining five decks in the half-brick will all be different doors, so you won't get two identical decks.  There's also a chance that your Mystery Deck might include a Line Art Deck, which we'll explain next. 



The card faces of these decks are the same as the faces of the Colored Collection deck.





Line Art Deck

Besides 52 decks corresponding to each of the 54 different door designs, there's also a special "Line Art Deck", of which only 52 have been made. 



This is similar to the Colored Collection Deck in that it features a different door on all the card backs.



 But it uses a minimalist design of white and black (and red for the Hearts and Diamond cards), that captures the original design of the deck without the colors.





Joker 52 Deck

Given that the project was released in April, this additional deck is considered as a late April Fool's Day deck, and 1000 of these have been printed.  It's inspired by the other decks we've already seen, but makes some comic adjustments for a more whimsical touch.

The tuck box features a Joker image where this clown-like character's tongue becomes a door.



The artwork on the faces is similar to the main Room 52x52 deck, but everything has been changed to incorporate clown aspects of the Joker character.  The cards themselves transform aspects of the original artwork by incorporating clown faces and shapes, including in some of the pips.







Allin Set

If you are really committed and keen, the "Allin Set" (only 10 available) comes with all 54 non-repeating Room 52x52 decks plus one Line Art Deck, and an autographed collector's card - but obviously splurging to get over 50 decks doesn't come cheap!  Note that this set of 55 decks doesn't include the Colored Collection Deck or the Joker 52 Deck. 





The Uncut Sheet (a $20 add-on) is certainly going to appeal to many people as an alternative way to showcase all the different door designs, although it has to be said that they look most amazing on the individual tuck cases.

Comparison of Card Faces

For comparison, here is an overview of the faces used for the different decks. Here are the faces used for the Colored Collection Deck and the 54 different Mystery Decks:



And here are the faces used for the Joker 52 deck, which uses a similar style, but incorporates clown elements in the artwork and on some of the pips:



This is certainly a project that takes custom playing cards in an interesting direction.  It's may be somewhat of a nightmare for the completionist who wants each iteration of this deck, unless they go for the "Allin" option.  But it's certainly a fun concept, and I love the fact that we are seeing creators stretching the boundaries of the familiar, and exploring new pathways in the world of playing cards. 

Kickstarter link

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/smoothwriting/room-5252-playing-cards-by-lunzi-and-tcc

Pictured below are the "Dutch Half Door", "Versailles Carved Door", and "Nautical Cabin Door".

Echo & Thousand Mile Scroll Playing Cards by TCC Fashion

Over the last couple of years TCC Playing Cards has been releasing a number of decks of custom playing cards under the label TCC Fashion.  The goal of this series is to produce quality playing cards that are the best value for money, which special design features such as holographic foils, lenticular printing, color-changing UV ink, embossing, or unique artistic designs, all at an affordable price capped at US $11.95.

So far they have succeeded quite admirably at achieving this, and their deck designs they've released so far include the following:
● TCC Fashion V1 (2023): Rainbow HOLO, City of Mirrors, David, Lithography
● TCC Fashion V2 (2024): Cat & Dog, Fortress, Sakura, Peacock
● Recent releases: Round Moon (2024), Year of the Snakes (2025), Rose (2025)

Now in close succession they have released two more custom decks under the TCC Fashion label:
● Echo Playing Cards
● Thousand Mile Scroll Playing Cards

These continue to live up to the vision that TCC has for their Fashion series, namely "With a harmonious fusion of captivating aesthetics, superior craftsmanship, and unbeatable affordability, we aim to provide our customers with an extraordinary value-for-money experience."  Like the previous decks in the series, these are standard poker sized cards (62mm x 88mm), and besides 52 playing cards there are also two custom jokers and two ad cards.

Here's some information about the two new decks, and the features that are unique to each:

Echo Playing Cards

Echo Playing Cards is a deck themed around music. 



As one of the included ad cards explains: "The word "music" hails from the ancient Greek mousike, signifying the art of the Muses, and stands as one of humanity's most resplendent cultural treasures.  We are moved by music, we compose, perform, listen, and encounter echoes of countless maestros, and the harmonious resonance of venerable forebears in the realm of melody."

The musical theme is immediately evident from the card backs, which includes ornamentation with musical notes.



But as you'd expect, it's especially the court cards that bring the music theme to life.







The number cards and pips are also stylized and use a custom colour scheme in keeping with the rest of the deck.



Finally we have two custom jokers.



A gorgeous version of the deck with purple gilding with starry patterns is also available, in a limited edition of just 300.



Both decks have custom seals, but in the case of the gilded deck it is individually numbered.



A striking and unique feature of the tuck box of both decks is that it uses lenticular printing.  This means that as you slowly rotate the angle in which you are viewing the deck, it creates the illusion of a changing image, with one illustration morphing into another.  A mysterious figure - possibly a muse - magically seems to appear and then vanish again, as you hold up the deck.



Thousand Mile Scroll Playing Cards

Thousand Mile Scroll Playing Cards reimagines "The Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains", a famous Chinese painting by Wang Ximeng. The painting dates back 900 years, and is recognized as one of China's top ten masterpieces.  In real life the painting - which is painted on silk - is a panoramic landscape picture more than 10 meters long.



As one of the included ad cards explains: "During the Northern Song Dynasty, traditional Chinese painting reached its first golden age.  Among its finest works is The Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains, created by Wang Ximeng.  Inspired by this masterpiece, we have crafted a deck of playing cards that captures the grandeur of this iconic landscape."

The tuck box immediately introduces us to the painting artwork, including its Chinese name, "Qian Li Jiang Sang", and the glorious colours and style also makes an appearance in the over-sized Ace of Spades.



The court cards depict a variety of traditional Chinese characters.







Complete customization has also been applied to all the number cards.



The two custom jokers function as a diptych, and combine to produce a single image.



A similar technique has been applied to the card backs, and the 13 backs of each suit can be arranged in order to form a continuous panoramic image, representing part of the original artwork.



The tuck box features delightful interior printing, touched with gold foil, matching the stylish gold foil on the outside of the box.



An appropriate custom seal finishes off the deck, ensure it has good looks both inside and out.




Product pages:
● Echo Playing Cards
● Thousand Mile Scroll Playing Cards

Jack the Ripper & Sherlock Holmes Playing Cards by Anti-Faro & Room One (Kickstarter)

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/antifaro/jack-the-ripper-and-sherlock-holmes-playing-cards

Custom playing cards in the era of Victorian London, with a built-in puzzle to solve

Price: $14 (Stalemate or Skewer edition), $26 (Checkmate or Castling edition), $78 (Collector Set with all four decks and bonus items), $98 (Half Brick Set), $145 (Ultimate Set)
Current funding level: already funded
Kickstarter ends: Tuesday, April 1, 2025



This project combines fact with fiction, merging the real-world crimes of Jack the Ripper with the fictional master sleuth Sherlock Holmes.  The artwork on the cards is geared to capture something of the eerie atmosphere of both world in 19th century London.  I've always loved the Sherlock Holmes stories, and combines it with the mystery of Jack the Ripper is an excellent idea.

But what I especially love is the puzzle built into two of the decks from this project, where it's your job to figure out the murderer.  Here's how it is described: "Scattered throughout the deck are hidden clues, cryptic messages, and pieces of evidence. Your mission: analyze the hints, follow the trail, and identify the infamous outlaw before time runs out.  Will you rise to the challenge and solve the mystery, or will Jack the Ripper vanish into the night once again? Unravel the secrets, crack the case, and claim your victory. Every shuffle, every deal, and every play brings you closer to the ultimate revelation. Can you uncover the killer before the next crime occurs?

The Jack the Ripper & Sherlock Holmes Playing Cards come in two main editions, one with what the creator calls a "shadow vanishing tuck box", and the other with what the creator calls a "detective tuck box".  Each of these has two decks, one in black and one in white. 
● Checkmate Edition (black) and Castling Edition (white) - both with the shadow vanishing tuck box
● Stalemate Edition (black) and Skewer Edition (white) - both with the detective tuck box

Checkmate and Castling Editions

The Checkmate and Castling editions are the more luxurious decks.  Their tuck boxes have embossing and foil, and have a unique mechanism where a shadow of Jack the Ripper disappears when you open the front of the box.  The cards in these decks use cold foil, and are finished with coloured edges.







Stalemate and Skewer Editions

The Stalemate and Skewer Editions have a unique tuck box with a wax emblem.  When it's unfolded to reveal the cards, it reveals a letter from Jack the Ripper.  These cards have a more straight forward colour scheme that relies mostly on black and white.







Extras

Box sets are also available for collectors, and especially noteworthy is the collector's box which contains one of each of the four decks, plus a set of clues for solving the puzzle, and a collector's coin.



To solve the puzzle, you'll need the clues found in both a black deck and a white deck, so you'll have to get a pair of decks: either the Checkmate and the Castling edition, or the Stalemate and Skewer editions.



The Creator

I've been very impressed with the output and quality of Room One Cards, and the decks I've seen so far have been fantastic.  This is another splendid project that incorporates artistic creativity with an original theme, a luxurious look, innovation, quality, and a fun puzzle!

Anti-Faro Playing Cards is one of the sub-brands of Room One Cards, which is based in Asia and is the creator of three main brands: Room One Cards, Bloom Playing Cards, and Anti-Faro Playing Cards.  With the help of Kickstarter they've already produced around a dozen different projects of custom playing cards, which have been well-received by the playing card community.  Room One Cards has their own printer, and use three main stocks: 270gsm = Sleight Stock, 290gsm = Afflux Stock, and 300gsm = Elite Stock.  I've seen and used decks with each of these three stocks, and the quality and handling has been impressive.

Jack the Ripper & Sherlock Holmes is the fourth project under the Anti-Faro label, and follows the success of three previous projects: Plague Doctor Playing Cards (2023), The Trial of Blackbeard Playing Cards (2024), and Stellar Dread Playing Cards (2024).  I haven't seen these all personally, but I do own the Trial of Blackbeard deck, and love the puzzle that was built into that.  So when I heard about yet another deck from the same creator with an in-built puzzle, I was immediately enthused.



Kickstarter link

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/antifaro/jack-the-ripper-and-sherlock-holmes-playing-cards

The La Mouche decks from Elettra Deganello have now been fulfilled, and they certainly turned out beautifully!  The semi-transformational style of the number cards is especially fantastic.

If you missed the Kickstarter, these decks are now available from Elettra's webstore here:

https://shop.elettradeganello.com

Rose Playing Cards by TCC

https://tccplayingcard.com/products/rose-playing-cards-by-tcc

Custom playing cards in honor of the exquisite beauty and passion of the rose

Price: $9 (Standard Edition), $22 (Gilded Edition)



Rose Playing Cards is the latest deck just released by TCC, a China-based playing card producer.  Here's how the ad copy describes it:

"The blooming of a rose is always breathtaking, unfolding its delicate petals and rich fragrance to express deep emotions and love.  When the artistry of gold foil meets the elegance of a rose, it radiates a brilliance that captivates the heart.  Paired with exquisite embossed designs, the luster and intricate textures of the petals seem to softly whisper enchanting tales of love."

The tuck box has several special features to give added luxury befitting the rose, including a custom seal and embossing.  But what really caught my eye is what's been done with the red roses on the tuck box.  These are finished with shiny red foil, and because of the embossing, when held up to the light they reflect the light and you get a real sense of color and shape.  Beautifully done, and it makes an instant positive impression!



The inside of the tuck box has a lovely pattern comprised of roses and leaves, made with shiny red foil set on a deep maroon colour.



Perhaps my favourite part of the deck is the card backs.  Pictures really don't do it justice!  I was simply expecting the rose pattern seen in this photo.  But what I didn't expect is that the red roses on the card backs are actually done with a red foil.  So when the cards catch the light, it looks amazing! 



All the Aces have special touches to give a very custom feel.



The court cards are unusual - you'll either love them or hate them - but the rose theme continues to be strong here.





I like the customization that's been done with the number cards.  Not only is the pip arrangement non-standard, but the mention of "Rose Playing Cards" on each card works.



The two jokers each feature a bouquet of roses.



Also included are two ad cards, one with some nice quotes about the allure of the rose, as the embodiment of romance.

While the foil on the Standard Edition already makes it stand out from your average deck, the real highlight for me is the Gilded Edition, which has patterned gilding on the edges.  The ad copy again:

"Like sunlight cascading over diamond-edged petals, deep brown and crimson intertwine, ultimately transforming into a visual language of passion and romance.  Limited to 200, each deck comes with a unique serial number."



Product link

https://tccplayingcard.com/products/rose-playing-cards-by-tcc

Roberto Giobbi (he of Card College fame) has just released a wonderful new book entitled Unexpected Agenda, which is available here:

https://www.robertogiobbi.com/site/product/subscription-offer-unexpected-agenda-english



I just got mine in the mail recently, and am very impressed.  It is beautifully presented in a stunning large hardcover finished with foil on the cover and a ribbon bookmark inside.  And the quality of the content matches the quality of the production.  It contains 365 articles, one for each day of the year, with tricks and secrets and ideas that will stretch your thinking and ability in all aspects of magic.  The graphic design and formatting is appealing, and clear black and white photos accompany the text throughout.

It's not the first book of this kind, and can be considered as the sequel to two similar volumes that have appeared previously, Secret Agenda (2010) and Hidden Agenda (2016).  But you need not own any of those previous titles to enjoy this one, because Unexpected Agenda is a completely independent work, and each page offers a fresh magical insight that stands alone.



I've been a fan of Roberto Giobbi ever since I came across his outstanding Card College series, and realized that this was the gold standard benchmark for learning card magic.  His written work continues to impress me, and demonstrates a lot of fine thinking about magic.  He is well grounded in history and tradition, and respectful to those on whose shoulders we stand, while building on their work with insightful and creative contributions of his own.  He is a true scholar who honours magic as an art, and encourages us to have a thoughtful and contemplative approach to our performing, both mechanically and presentationally.  His writing strikes the perfect balance between being comprehensive and clear.  This fine volume is another fine contribution to his written works, and will be appreciated by any magician who is serious about his craft.

As an enthusiast and collector of playing cards, I was especially pleased to see several articles in the book about playing card curiosities such as the history and significance of the Ace of Spades (Oct 1), and interesting and unusual facts about playing cards (Oct 2-3), including common nicknames for specific cards (Oct 4).  Such curiosities can provide useful material for patter or for introducing a card trick.  I also appreciated the 12 point checklist for card quality control (Apr 10) and the 10 step kata to help break in a new deck of cards (Apr 11).  And the suggestion about using cards from different custom decks (Mar 5) has real potential, Lennard Green's "Stolen Cards" being a fine example of this.



But there's a whole lot more, including details about tricks and routines, tips for sleights, strategies for performance and presentation, strategies for navigating the business side of magic, anecdotes and stories from Roberto's personal experiences, and theory about the principles of magic.  While card magic is the focus, there's also much that has application more broadly to close-up or stage magic.  This is very much a book where you can learn firsthand from an expert about all aspects of magic.

Unexpected Agenda is available from Roberto Giobbi's website and from select magic retailers. 

Urashima Tarou Playing Cards by Bloom & Room One (Kickstarter)

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bloomplayingcards/urashima-tarou-playing-cards

Custom playing cards set in an underwater kingdom of Japanese folklore

Price: $12 (Origami Edition in Blue or Black), $18 (Louver Edition in Green or Velvet), $64 (Collector Set with all four decks), $82 (Half Brick Set), $124 (Ultimate Set)
Current funding level: already funded
Kickstarter ends: Tuesday, January 7, 2025



I love quality playing cards with a high degree of customization, novelty, and quality, and this new Kickstarter project from Bloom Playing Cards ticks all the boxes. 

The creator: Bloom Playing Cards & Room One Cards

Bloom Playing Cards is one of the sub-brands of Room One Cards.  Room One Cards is based in Asia, and is the creator of three main brands: Room One Cards, Bloom Playing Cards, and Anti-Faro Playing Cards.  With the help of Kickstarter they've already produced ten different projects of custom playing cards, which have been well-received by the playing card community. 

Aside from a high amount of originality and lavish quality, another notable feature of Room One is that they have their own printer.  I've personally sampled decks from their Roots range with the three main stocks they use (270gsm = Sleight Stock, 290gsm = Afflux Stock, and 300gsm = Elite Stock) and been impressed with their quality and handling.

Urashima Tarou is the fourth project under the Bloom label, and follows the success of three previous projects: Hyakki Yagyo Playing Cards, Samurai Otter Playing Cards, and The Fox's Wedding Playing Cards (my personal favorite so far!).  All of these are unique and charming in their own way, and the Room One team has come up with something special again with Urashima Tarou.

The theme: the Urashima Tarou fairy tale

If you Google Urashima Tarou, you'll learn that he's the main character in a Japanese fairy tale which dates back to the 8th century.  He's a kind-hearted fisherman who rescues a turtle, who returns the favor by inviting Taro to the Dragon Palace, where he meets the princess Otohime. Tarou and Otohime fall in love and enjoy their time together below the sea.

When Taro returns to his parents, he's shocked to discover that over 100 years have passed and he has been presumed dead.  Otohime also gives him a jewelled box which she instructs him not to open, but when he does so, he immediately transforms into an old man.  The transformation from youth to old age and the fleeting nature of time are key themes of the story, and also of these new playing cards.

The decks: Louver Edition and Origami Edition

The Urashima Tarou Playing Cards come in two main editions, the Louver Edition (available in Green or Velvet) and the Origami Edition (available in Blue or Black). The Origami Edition is the standard version of the deck, whereas the Louver Edition comes with extra features and is the real showpiece. 

Special Features

The lavish tuck box of the Louver Edition is the real highlight, and captures the idea of Tarou's transformation from youth to old age with a special mechanism that I've personally not seen in a custom deck before.  Torou is pictured as a young man, but when you trigger the mechanism on the tuck box, he changes into an old man. As the project says, "This duality reflects the fleeting nature of time, reminding us of life's impermanence and the delicate balance between dreams and reality."   As well as being a meaningful theme, the way this has been executed with the tuck box is also clever and novel on the level of aesthetics.



The Louver Edition has the added luxury of using foil on the card faces for a truly sophisticated and stylish look. The court cards depict the key characters from the Urashima Tarou story, and include a young and an old Tarou, the princess, and others.



The deck is also billed as being a transformation deck, which usually means that the pips on the number cards are incorporated into artwork.  I don't know that I would consider these to be true transformation playing cards, since the pips don't really seem to function as part of the art.  But it is true that all the number cards have fully custom artwork and images, and this gives each number card a unique and visual appeal that you won't find in a standard deck of cards.



I also love the fact that the card backs have a flip-book animation feature in the Louver Edition.  When flipping your thumb through the cards, you see an animated image that pictures the moment that Tarou opens the jewelled box, and triggers his instant aging.



Both the Louver Editions also come with patterned gilded edges for extra luxury.



The tuck box of the Origami Edition isn't like your ordinary deck either.  It has a special folding mechanism inspired by Japanese origami, which is attention grabbing in its own way.  The card backs in the Origami Edition have a simpler design, based on the pattern of a sea turtle shell - appropriate given the storyline.



Louver Edition (Velvet)



















Louver Edition (Green)













Origami Edition (Blue)















Origami Edition (Black)













Extras

Box sets are also available for collectors, containing one of each deck, or half a dozen decks, or complete with special extras.



There's a special secret hidden into a special half-brick set.  If you place the tuck boxes of half a dozen decks together (2x Blue Origami, 2x Black Origami, 1x Velvet Louver, 1x Green Louver), the artwork cleverly combines to create a single polyptych image.



There are also special items such as a metal Urashima Tarou collector coin, a metal bookmark, a puzzle, and stickers.  Previous decks from Bloom are also available as add-ons.



I've been very impressed with the output and quality of Room One Cards, and the decks I've seen so far have been fantastic.  This is another splendid project that incorporates artistic creativity with an original theme, a luxurious look, innovation, and quality.

Kickstarter link

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bloomplayingcards/urashima-tarou-playing-cards

Kite  Playing Cards by ARK Playing Cards (Kickstarter)

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cardcollection/kite-playing-cards-by-ark

Custom playing cards inspired by the Chinese heritage of the kite, combining tradition, sophistication, and grace.

Current funding level: already funded
Kickstarter ends: Monday, October 28, 2024

In recent years ARK Playing Cards has become well-known as a creator of luxury playing cards, that are especially notable for their lavish production and creative tuck boxes.  Their newest project is Kite Playing Cards is currently being funded on Kickstarter, and continues this trend of innovation and quality. 



As with many of their previous projects, Kite Playing Cards is inspired by Chinese culture, and relies on innovative printing techniques and a creative tuck case design.  ARK constantly pushes the boundaries of what we've previously seen in the world of playing cards, and in this instance they've come up with a creative and foldable structure that is based on an important symbol from China's cultural heritage: the kite.

Kites date back some 2500 years to the Eastern Zhou period, and stem from a time where the papermaking industry had flourished.  Civilians began using paper to cover kites, which is a tradition that continues to this day, both as a form of entertainment, as well as a source of rich symbolism.

To capture this theme, they've come up with a unique concept for the tuck box of the playing cards unlike any other we've ever seen before.  When closed, it folds into the usual shape of a card box, to store the playing cards.  But when unfolded it displays the classic silhouette of a swallow kite. The case even has a display stand, because you can insert playing cards into special slots in the tuck box to act as the bamboo "frame" of the kite, enabling the box to be supported and displayed.

This animated gif does a good job of showing what this effect looks like:



The design of the tuck box features the traditional Shayan kite, and decorative patterns include important symbols such as Chinese knots, flowers, koi fish, catfish, and bats.

The card backs combine bamboo strips with Chinese patterns, and hidden in the design are items like the kite's spool, as well as symbols of joy and prosperity such as seals, bats, and swallows.

The four suits all correspond to different symbols and kite shapes:
- Spades: classic Shayan kite = good fortune
- Hearts: butterfly shape = happiness and fulfillment
- Clubs: goldfish shape = abundance and wealth
- Diamonds: dragonfly shape = grace and beauty

The faces on all the cards are decorated with exquisite patterns and motifs related to kites.  The court cards show figures engaging in kite-related activities such as kite flying, crafting, and weaving.

Much like we've seen with previous ARK projects, this project is available with different levels and styles of luxury packaging:
● Standard Deck (limited edition of 3333): single deck, including the creative folding kite tuck case and stand (US$30)
● Artist Boxset (limited edition of 999): holographic foil deck & monochromatic deck, in a gift box with a book (US$80)
● Walnut Boxset (limited edition of 333): holographic foil gold deck with gilded edges, plus a collectible coin, in a walnut gift box (US$185)
● Luxury Black (limited edition of 99): black-edged deck, plus an embossed metal plate (US$150, only available as part of the "All-In" reward)



Extra add-ons like uncut sheets and coins are also available separately.  Here's a preview of how each of the above four packaging and deck options look.

1. Standard Deck

This is a limited edition of 3333 decks, all with individually numbered seals, and is the base level deck, but includes the creative folding kite-shaped tuck case.

Tuck case







Cards











2. Artist Box set

These 999 box sets (again individually numbered) consist of a special gift box that includes a book, and two decks: a holo foil deck (with blue gilding) in the special folding kite tuck case, and a second special deck which is more monochromatic in colour and style.

Box





Holo deck













Special deck







Book



3. Walnut Box set

The Walnut Box set is limited to 333 copies, all individually numbered, and in a multifunctional wooden box that can be set-up for a special display of the deck.  The deck included is a gold deck with holographic foil and gilded edges, and there's also a collectible coin.

Box





Gold deck







Coin



4. Luxury Black set

Only 99 individually numbered Luxury Black sets are available, and you can only get this with the "all in" option.  This is a black deck (with black edges) that has white artwork and design, and comes with a numbered embossed metal plate.

Black deck











Metal plate



Head over to the project page for many more pictures of these unique collectors pieces.

Kickstarter link

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cardcollection/kite-playing-cards-by-ark

The Lost In The Shuffle documentary has now been released, and for just $4.99 you can stream it on demand on a variety of platforms:
- USA & UK: iTunes/Apple TV, YoutTube, Microsoft/XBox, Fandango
- Rest of the World: Kinema

It's also being screened at selected theaters.  For direct links to the above, and for information about theater screenings, see:

https://www.lostintheshuffle.film/live-dates



I've watched the film and really enjoyed it.  There's actually a lot going on, and the documentary ties together a number of different elements in a good way: playing card history, card magic, several big-name pro magicians, plus magician Shawn Farquhar travelling to various places.  It's evident that the film-makers have poured a huge amount of time, effort, and love into making this film.  Here's my review, with some of my impressions.
 
It was different than I expected, but in a good way.  I was expecting the focal point to be a new theory by Shawn Farquhar about the meaning of the court cards, i.e. a documentary about playing card history.  That was obviously a big part of the film.  But what surprised me is how this story was constructed around card magic.  In many ways it was more about card magic than about playing card history.  And I loved that.  The combination of different elements made it far more enjoyable to watch that I had anticipated.


 
Shawn Farquhar is the "narrator", and it's through his eyes that the story is told.  He's the perfect person for this, because he is just bursting with energy, and his enthusiasm for playing cards and for card magic is infectious. 
 
Along with Shawn is an impressive team of people.  Take a look at these big names: Alexandria Duvivier, Juan Tamariz, Michael Vincent, and Richard Turner.  Anybody who knows something about card magic will realize that there's some real experts here.  Seeing contemporary greats in card magic like Juan Tamariz, Richard Turner, and Michael Vincent being brought together like this was amazing.  I have great very high respect for all of them.  Alexandria Duvivier isn't quite in their league, but she fits in fine.
 

 
The framework and structure of the film is put together well.  I love how we join Shawn in meeting up with the four main magicians featured in the documentary, and with each of them there's a focus on a different plot in card magic.  This is combined with the story about playing card history that he is digging up along the way.  And all this is then capped off with a fun story-telling card magic routine at the end.  That really helps hold everything together, and is done in a really lovely way. 
 

 
Shawn's "thesis" about the playing card characters ended up having a much lower profile than I was expecting.  In short, he suggests that the traditional court card designs we're familiar with today help solve the mysterious death of King Charles VIII, who died in 1498.  He believes that the traditional `suicide king' (King of Hearts) represents King Charles, and that his death wasn't caused by bumping his head on a door frame as is usually believed, but the royal figure represented by the Queen of Spades was the villain that hastened his death.



It's probably a good thing that this storyline isn't laid on too thick, because the majority of playing card historians are unlikely to buy this theory.  Personally I find it somewhat tenuous, because as some of the historians quoted in the film point out, there's no real evidence for it.  Given the historical development of court cards, it's highly unlikely that a historical incident in a single setting would determine how court cards look all over France and around the world.  Even Shawn himself often says things like "I believe this character is X" or "I believe this detail on the card is Y" with no real evidence for the connection.



But that's okay, but that didn't prevent me enjoying the film because of the other content.  If this film was intended purely to be a documentary presenting an alternate version of playing card history, this would be a weakness. But there's a lot to enjoy independent of that, especially the card magic.    And while Shawn's theory becomes the framework and background premise for the documentary, the film doesn't need it to be true in order to work.  It's more of an artistic framework, and while it could be true, the film doesn't stand or fall on whether or not it is factual.  When watched as something that is informative and entertaining first of all, this approach is acceptable, and it would be unfair for playing card purists and historians to criticize it too sharply simply because they don't believe Shawn's alternate theory to be credible.
 
In fact, the film-maker Jon Ornay demonstrates intellectual honesty by not presenting Shawn's view as "fact".  Near the end he even includes some of the historian guys consulted along the way saying "I have no way of being able to support this thesis".  To me, that just proves that the film works, regardless of whether or not the viewer is convinced by Shawn.
 

 
Does Shawn himself even believes the thesis he prevents?  Probably.  But we can't be entirely sure.  He's first and foremost a magician.  And magicians fool us.  Is he perhaps using this whole story, just to lend legitimacy and historicity to the story-telling of his final routine?  I wouldn't rule out a magician doing that, and I wouldn't put it past him to tell us about this "theory", when in reality what he's doing is just setting us up for the grand reveal and the storytelling routine in the end.  If that's what is happening here, it's legitimate.  But having said that, it is my understanding that he is serious about his theory, but fortunately the film can be enjoyed independent of how you personally feel about this.
 
Despite the above disclaimers about the historicity of Shawn's thesis about the identity of specific court cards, I did really like the section about the history of playing cards at the start. I've done a lot of reading and study on playing card history, and it seems to me that the quick tour we get of the overall history and development of playing cards is accurate, informative, and interesting.
 


Furthermore, a lot of the history that is explored and explained by Shawn about King Charles and his court is also historical and accurate.  It's just the connection between this history and playing cards that is uncertain, as is Shawn's theory about the actual cause of Charles' death).  Fortunately the film doesn't push this too far, and as a viewer it's left up to you to agree or disagree.

Other aspects of the filmmaking are also solid.  The music is well suited and professional, and complements the visuals nicely.  The graphics and illustrations are well done for the most part too.  The animated parts of the film are one of the weaker aspects, but I can understand the need for them, and they function adequately.

Having French-speaking experts makes things a little harder to follow at times, given the academic and historical content of what they speak about.  But obviously they are authorities on the subject, so it is good to hear them in their own words and language.  And of course English subtitles are provided. 
 

 
In short, I'm very pleased to see a documentary that does a nice job of making the history of playing cards interesting, and also gives us some intimate time with some fascinating personalities and some of the best card magicians in the world, and enjoy some fun card magic too.  I'm pleased that "Lost In The Shuffle" has become more widely available and is now available for streaming, and I recommend checking it out if you can!

Where to find it:
- USA & UK
- Rest of the World