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

Raiders of the Lost Card (Michael Breggar)

A new book filled with sleight-light card tricks from funny man Michael Breggar

Michael Breggar is well known to many in the magic industry for producing a number of books that focus on what he calls "auto-magic".  He's written the Auto-Magic column for The Linking Ring magazine for several years, and uses this term to designate tricks that are professional and practical, but are relatively sleight free, and often even "self-working".   I've loved Michael's books for a number of reasons:

- He has a great sense of humor, with an amusing and fun-to-read zany style.
- He emphasizes presentation, which is what entertaining magic is all about
- His tricks are easy to perform, with no knuckle-busting moves
- His books are well designed and laid out (good formatting, lots of pictures)

His newest book was released on 17 August 2024, and is called Raiders of the Lost Card.  It has more than 200 pages of goodness, and filled to the brim with 35 tricks.  As usual, Michael's great sense of humour is built in as part of the package, as you can tell from the Indiana Jones reference in the title, a theme he finds amusing ways to keep coming back to in the names of the tricks, and throughout the book. Personally I'm a sucker for the great puns he comes up with, like: "Are you ready to give the LAST CREWS AID? Will you follow a TEMPLATE OF DOOM?"



Here's some of the ad copy, which gives an idea of what you can expect inside:

35 astounding, entertaining and highly commercial effects that will have your audiences? heads exploding and faces melting!

They include "mystery card" effects, transpositions, a quirky magic square performed with cards and an unbelievable kicker ending, weird card locations, "un-memory" demonstrations, hands-off Oil and Water, Open Prediction and ACAAN effects. And more than you can crack a whip at!

PLUS - there is Michael's blockbuster Bad Bikes with a huge section of cool variations.
PLUS PLUS - A selection of five remarkable, tried and tested, and hugely entertaining "Think-of-a-Card" effects from which you will "choose wisely".
PLUS PLUS PLUS - the "Museum of Moves" in which the curator will show you some sleight-lite moves to enhance your card magic.
PLUS PLUS PLUS PLUS - the usual craziness and satire you?d expect from a Michael Breggar magic book (and some you wouldn't)!
In all, you'll be Non Plus Plus Plus Plus Ultra'd over the whole serial chapter play.

So, shuffle your Bees, find some Aviators, hop on your Bicycles, gather your Cohorts then put their pet snake Reggie in a box. You are in for some rousing excitement.

Where to get it?  Raiders of the Lost Card was released on 17 August 2024, and can be purchased as a digital download in PDF format as an exclusive from Kaymar Magic here:

https://www.kaymarmagic.com/products/raiders-of-the-lost-card-ebook-by-michael-breggar

The Flourish Magazine (Issue II)

When the fantastic Launch Issue of The Flourish magazine was released in September 2023, it came with the promise that the goal was to publish a new issue every year.  Considering the quality of the production and content of the first issue, this seemed like wishful thinking and a tough assignment. 

Yet before the year 2023 ended, we'd already seen a Special Edition as part of a collaboration with Cardtopia.  And right now we're barely into the second half of 2024, and not even a full year has passed since the launch issue, and the next full-sized issue is already getting into our hands!  You can get it over on Biz's website here: The Flourish Magazine II.

I've thoroughly enjoyed reading this newest issue, because it's a real treat, that is every bit as terrific as the ones that have preceded it.  As with previous issues, it's a physical magazine with a impressive presentation all round, starting with the front cover.



Once again we have some marvellous content, with about 80 pages of full-colour goodness. 

Things kick off with a great article from noted cardist Jaspas, about how important community is for cardistry.



Community is the theme for this issue, and the article by Mattis and Nick about Europe's biggest cardistry event, Cardistry Experience, was a terrific read. 

These guys started from scratch, and things only get better and bigger with each convention they run. 



I always enjoy the feature articles and deep dive interviews with some key figures in the industry.  The first of these is an extensive interview with Charles Levin from Shuffled Ink, a playing card manufacturer based in Florida.  It was fantastic to read about the steps he took ahead of COVID that enabled his business to boom, and how his focus on family and customer service has really paid off. 

The detailed interview with Jed from RunIt Playing Cards, based in the Philippines, gives an excellent insider perspective on setting up a playing card shop. 

One of the things Biz does best is covering playing card brands, and the deep dive with Hai Do and Matthias Berger from Somnium Cards is fantastic.



Also fascinating was a feature article with Matthew Hiebert about the making of his brand Aroundsquare. Strictly speaking they focus on skill toys like begleri and knucklebones.  But as I discovered, these dexterity toys share a lot in common with cardistry, and  I really enjoyed thinking about ways that we can learn from a crossover discipline that is so closely linked to card flourishing.  I found myself checking out some videos of these skill toys online, and felt like I'd discovered one of cardistry's close cousins that I never new existed.

Another great read is a lengthy interview with LocalThunk, creator of the popular video card game Balatro.  Once again this is a subject that feels like a sideways move from playing cards, but the viral success of this game certainly owes its origins in playing cards, and was interesting to learn about.



There are many other smaller articles.  These include a couple of great first-hand pieces about aesthetics, movement, and flow, from magician Yoann Fontyn and cardist Loan Priano, including QR codes that will send you directly to video tutorials for two of Loan's productions. 

Almost everyone reading this review will be familiar with the famous Butterfly Playing Cards.  If so, you're certain to enjoy the interview with their designer, Stefan Eriksson.

Kevin Ho has a great article called "Cardistry Roulette", sharing ideas for a simple cardistry game that can force you to stretch your creativity and come up with new cardistry moves. 

Under the heading "Humans of Cardistry", there are short intros to a couple of cardists from Germany.



The spotlight cardist for this issue is Nathan Hu.  Besides a collectible card featuring Nathan, there's eight pages devoted to an interview with him, as well as an introduction to four of his moves, each of which has a QR code that brings you to an unlisted video on Youtube that teaches you each of these.  I especially enjoyed the flair of his Poptropica move, and his Tectonic move is a four packet structure that looks super smooth.  I was pleased to discover that these moves (along with Hinge Theory and Two Fold, the other two moves taught) aren't knacky moves reserved for experts, but should easily be within the abilities of most cardists to learn fairly quickly and easily.

The bar was set high with previous issues, so my expectations were high for this newest issue of The Flourish.  But Biz continues to surprise, and what he puts out has again exceeded my expectations.  Everything is outstanding, starting with the graphic design and physical presentation, as well as the content of the articles.



The Flourish Magazine is a must have for anyone who is passionate about playing cards and cardistry, and wants to pick up some solid reading material that will inspire and educate.

Get the latest issue of The Flourish magazine:

https://bizandfriends.com/products/the-flourish-magazine-issue-ii
 

Cardistry deserves more t-shirts, and this is a great one.



I picked it up from Biz & Friends here:

https://bizandfriends.com/products/the-cardistry-experience-tee



I love the design of the front especially, and the quality is excellent. I'm stoked!

Ankh Playing Cards by ARK Playing Cards (Kickstarter)

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

Current funding level: already funded
Kickstarter ends: Tuesday, May 28, 2024

ARK Playing Cards is one of the foremost creators of luxury playing cards in recent years, and they are highly regarded for their lavish production and creative tuck boxes.  Their newest project is Ankh Playing Cards and is currently being funded on Kickstarter. 



This deck is named after the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic symbol ankh, which represents life.  Ancient Egyptian religion was fixated on their ideas about life and about the afterlife, and these provide the inspiration for this new deck.

An elaborate tuck case immediately captures this Egyptian theme.  ARK's previous project, Apollo Playing Cards, was inspired by the Greek sun god Apollo, and featured a unique tuck case with a pop-out feature that could unfold and rotate to form a complete circle to depict the sun which the god Apollo was all about.  In a similar way, Ankh Playing Cards has an ideal and unique tuck case, because it unfolds to create a pyramid structure, which perfectly matches the Egyptian theme that inspired this deck.  This animated gif does a good job of showing what this effect looks like:



The pyramid is immediately recognizable as an Egyptian icon, and the case opens up to create this triangular structure.  The mechanism relies on a nested structure of six layers, with hidden sliding tracks and pivots that ensure it opens and closes smoothly.

The artwork on the cards combines handdrawn and digital techniques, drawing upon Egyptian mythology and historical murals, in a distinctly classical Egyptian style.



The card faces depict the different gods of ancient Egypt, and various aspects of their mythology and religion, with illustations and motifs found throughout all aspects of the deck.





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 pop-out pyramid tuck case (US$30)
● Artist Boxset (limited edition of 999): holographic foil deck & monochromatic deck, in a gift box with a book (US$75)
● 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 pyramid themed 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 deck with the special pyramid 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 stunning wooden display box with a pyramid shape.  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 more pictures of these extravagant collectors pieces.

Kickstarter link

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

These were originally produced on Kickstarter, but have now been released, and are available directly from TCC's website here:

Room52 Playing Cards by TCC & Lunzi

https://tccplayingcard.com/products/room52-playing-cards-by-tcc-lunzi

Here's how the red deck looks - I particularly like the "door" on the back of the tuck box and on the back of the cards.







The cards themselves have a very retro or vintage look, which I personally find very appealing.







Here's the Silver deck:







The faces of these are more muted, and the reduced colour scheme arguably creates new beauty:





The half-brick set comes with stickers, and an upgraded version of the silver deck, with silver edges.