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Brown Derby

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Brown Derby
« on: July 11, 2014, 05:35:22 PM »
 

Will W.

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I was wondering if anyone might know anything about these cards I picked up at an estate sale. I know they're not anything ancient and may not even be that rare or hard to find but I was wondering if someone might know something about the cards or the place they represent.  They are some of the nicest feeling cards I've ever handled and these pictures do not do them justice.
"I collect these objects to learn from them. In some moment these things are going to teach me something. For me, this is like a library. These are my books."
- Jose Bedia
 

Re: Brown Derby
« Reply #1 on: July 12, 2014, 01:38:02 PM »
 

Don Boyer

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Looks like it's from the famous Brown Derby chain of restaurants.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_Derby

There were four Brown Derby shops in Los Angeles, one of which became famous as a celebrity hang-out.  The first two restaurants were constructed in 1926 (Wilshire Boulevard) and 1929 (Hollywood [the more famous one]).  The Wilshire location was closed in 1980 - a mini-mall went up and the derby-shaped building was placed on the third floor of it, housing a different restaurant.  The Hollywood location burned down in 1987, was renovated (with little of the original façade remaining) as a different bar/restaurant, was destroyed in the 1992 riots and is now a parking lot.  The Hollywood location is famous not just for the star power but also for being the birthplace of the Cobb Salad.

The third Brown Derby opened in 1931, also on Wilshire Boulevard, but in Beverly Hills.  Little was written about it in the article.  It resembled the Hollywood branch, closed in the early '80s and was demolished in 1983.

In 1940, another Brown Derby opened on Los Feliz Boulevard, converted from a chicken restaurant.  It closed in 1960 and was reopened under at least two other names as either a restaurant or a nightclub.  At one time it was under threat of destruction to make way for housing but the L.A. City Council named it a "Historic Cultural Monument", protecting it from the wrecking ball.  It's now a gastropub called Mess Hall Kitchen.

Others were opened after 1941 under a licensing agreement in Ohio as a chain which still exists today under two similar names, and there are two other licenses - Disney has them in their theme parks and MGM has them in two hotels located in Las Vegas and Detroit.

The AoS code on your Ace is a K, which combined with the time frame of these famous restaurants indicates that the deck was printed in either 1928, 1948 or 1968.  Before that is impossible since no BD restaurants existed in 1907, the first year K was used in AoS codes as a dating function.  It also appears to display four different locations, or at least four different images of exteriors.  One of them does look like the second BD, built in '29, and there are similarities in another one to that one (probably the Beverly Hills location built in '31) so that would rule out '28.  It is most likely that the deck was made in '48.  I think '68 would have been on the late side - the restaurants were well past their heyday and one of the locations was no longer a BD restaurant by then.

This is pure conjecture, but I'd say this was probably not a very common deck.  Decks made for a specific location or company (especially a smallish company) would be unlikely to have been made in large amounts.  I would also guess that many still exist because they were souvenirs, which some people collected not as a deck of cards but as a souvenir of the restaurants or a trip to Los Angeles/Hollywood.
« Last Edit: July 12, 2014, 01:43:39 PM by Don Boyer »
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Re: Brown Derby
« Reply #2 on: July 12, 2014, 02:17:45 PM »
 

52plusjoker

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Good summary by Don. I agree it is most likely a 1948 issue. The deck is US34 in the Hochman Encyclopedia of American Playing Cards.
Tom Dawson
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Re: Brown Derby
« Reply #3 on: July 12, 2014, 03:02:49 PM »
 

Will W.

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Wow!  Thank you. 
That was a great bit of info and exactly why I'm already addicted to this forum.  I've spent hours just reading some of the conversations and absorbing what I can until my brain feels like an over saturated sponge. 
I have a lot of decks that I need to go through because to tell you the truth I'm not exactly sure what I have.  I also need to get my hands on a copy of the Hochman Encyclopedia.
"I collect these objects to learn from them. In some moment these things are going to teach me something. For me, this is like a library. These are my books."
- Jose Bedia
 

Re: Brown Derby
« Reply #4 on: July 12, 2014, 03:27:38 PM »
 

Don Boyer

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Wow!  Thank you. 
That was a great bit of info and exactly why I'm already addicted to this forum.  I've spent hours just reading some of the conversations and absorbing what I can until my brain feels like an over saturated sponge. 
I have a lot of decks that I need to go through because to tell you the truth I'm not exactly sure what I have.  I also need to get my hands on a copy of the Hochman Encyclopedia.

Being co-authors of the current edition, Tom Dawson (52plusjoker) and his wife Judy (HeartQ) will be glad to hear that!  :))
« Last Edit: July 12, 2014, 03:27:56 PM by Don Boyer »
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Re: Brown Derby
« Reply #5 on: July 13, 2014, 09:30:00 AM »
 

52plusjoker

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Wow!  Thank you. 
That was a great bit of info and exactly why I'm already addicted to this forum.  I've spent hours just reading some of the conversations and absorbing what I can until my brain feels like an over saturated sponge. 
I have a lot of decks that I need to go through because to tell you the truth I'm not exactly sure what I have.  I also need to get my hands on a copy of the Hochman Encyclopedia.
Glad to send you a copy. $45 list price and we'll throw in the shipping.
Tom
Tom Dawson
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Re: Brown Derby
« Reply #6 on: July 13, 2014, 09:53:18 AM »
 

Will W.

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My wife has already ordered a copy for me but I appreciate the offer.
Is their any other resource material you might recommend?
"I collect these objects to learn from them. In some moment these things are going to teach me something. For me, this is like a library. These are my books."
- Jose Bedia
 

Re: Brown Derby
« Reply #7 on: July 13, 2014, 07:08:17 PM »
 

52plusjoker

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R U Interested in cards from Europe, Asia, etc?
Tom Dawson
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Re: Brown Derby
« Reply #8 on: July 14, 2014, 04:16:37 AM »
 

Will W.

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I pick up decks from all over. I go to a lot of estate sales, antique stores etc.  I like the artistry but I love learning the history of them as well. To me that's what it's about, not the value or the cost.
"I collect these objects to learn from them. In some moment these things are going to teach me something. For me, this is like a library. These are my books."
- Jose Bedia
 

Re: Brown Derby
« Reply #9 on: July 14, 2014, 08:34:49 AM »
 

52plusjoker

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I pick up decks from all over. I go to a lot of estate sales, antique stores etc.  I like the artistry but I love learning the history of them as well. To me that's what it's about, not the value or the cost.
OK - look for a used copy of Collecting Playing Cards by Slyvia Mann published in 1966 by Crown Publishing of New York. Excellent book for those interested in history of cards, and cards from around the world. Likely find easily on eBay or used book sites.
Tom Dawson
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Re: Brown Derby
« Reply #10 on: July 14, 2014, 12:46:23 PM »
 

Will W.

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Thank you. Found it on amazon for $9.00 shipping included.
"I collect these objects to learn from them. In some moment these things are going to teach me something. For me, this is like a library. These are my books."
- Jose Bedia
 

Re: Brown Derby
« Reply #11 on: July 14, 2014, 04:28:14 PM »
 

52plusjoker

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Thank you. Found it on amazon for $9.00 shipping included.
Excellent buy for an excellent book!
Tom Dawson
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Re: Brown Derby
« Reply #12 on: July 14, 2014, 06:38:32 PM »
 

Don Boyer

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Thank you. Found it on amazon for $9.00 shipping included.
Excellent buy for an excellent book!

Seems to me that if the book is such a valuable resource, maybe finding out about making a reprinting would be a good idea...  Make it as an e-book and it would cost next to nothing to create.
Card Illusionist, NYC Area
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