In the Hochman Encyclopedia of American Playing Cards, we find the listing L34 for the Caterson & Brotz Rough Backs brand in the chapter pertaining to the Longley Brothers and Successor Companies. Part of this listing contains a quote from the box describing the advantages of this newly patented technology. Today, I thought I would share with the visitors to this website, pictures of the front and back of the very attractive original box from the "sister" deck issued by The Reynolds Card Mfg. Compy. of New York which is found under the listing L37a in the same chapter. Further cementing the obvious connection between the two companies, not that any additional evidence was needed, is the fact that this very same quote also appears on this box. I am also showing a picture of the wonderful back design which may be the work of Edwin R. Eavenson who designed other ornate back designs for Caterson & Brotz. The characteristics of this kind of surface treatment are that the face of each card is smooth but the backs have 8 columns of slightly raised diagonal lines each measuring approximately 5/16" wide and separated by a tiny space in between. The direction of the diagonal line in each column alternates so that, when held at a certain angle, the overall effect appears to be a herringbone pattern.
Staying on the subject of rough surfaced playing cards, the next two pictures show the front and back of the original box for a brand of playing cards called Sure Deal issued by The Union Playing Card Company of New York. I have not shown pictures of the ace of spades or the joker because both are already shown under the L40 listing in the encyclopedia in the Longley chapter. It is interesting to note that the idea of changing or "improving" the card surface was not unique to one playing card manufacturer or, if it was, then Union was related to Caterson & Brotz and Reynolds. What is different about the treatment of these cards is that they are advertised on the box as Rough Surfaced Cards and not just rough backs, therefore, true to their word, both the front and back of each card have been affected. The nature of this treatment is also different in that the entire card now has a series of slightly raised vertical lines which made me think of the grooves cut into the pavement of certain stretches of highway that are prone to slickness in times of inclement weather in order to help provide greater traction for the cars that travel over them. So just as a road is prevented from becoming slippery, these cards proclaim that they are prevented from becoming sticky.
If any collector knows of another manufacturer who issued a brand of playing cards with a similar treatment, please share that information here.