Playing Card Show and Tell

room

I wanted to start a thread that isn't about types of readings with playing cards, but about favourite playing card decks.

There didn't seem to be a visual thread in the Oracle Decks section for this and there are so many other threads on bits and pieces about playing cards, and picture URLs on the Internet change frequently, so I thought I'd start a fresh thread.

I have a number of illustrated playing cards, including my favourite Transformation decks, and ones on the Saints with statuary and art from churches and other odd things.

Lately I've been gathering some plainer ones for readings. "Plainer" meaning without illustrations unless on the Courts and Aces. I'm putting a photo of this particular one up because the tiny pictures on the Internet don't really show it off. This is the Civil War Illuminated Poker Deck by US Games. The illumination is shiny gold rather than irridescent gold ink, and it is slightly embossed which shows up best on the Ace of Hearts in the photo. Also, the courts are single-ended--I think I prefer this old-fashioned approach to single-ended courts.

I really liked the simplicity of it and then to have this extra bling was elegant. I haven't seen another deck like this.

Those of us who have gold foil decks know how hard it is to get the gold to show up in scans or photos, but I've tried for this.
 

robinchun

My favorite, and one I use, is The Bicycle 'Ghost' Deck. I also like 'The Vintage' too. You can see these, and others, at www.ellusionist.com

Robin
 

room

Yes, I love that Ghost deck too. Maybe some day. Sigh.

p.s. I just noticed that they have the Ghost deck in a mini size. I'm always tempted by charming Patience-sized decks. . .
 

WolfyJames

The gold foil deck is pretty, and two others as well, they all look ancient. The deck I use on my side is the Fortune Tellers Deck, the original cards were made on wood, which give that old tint on the cards, the court cards are quite expressive as well:

http://69.34.198.122/Packs/Fortune Tellers Deck/
 

room

WolfyJames said:
The deck I use on my side is the Fortune Tellers Deck,

I've always liked that one too--very classy looking. I think it's OOP now, isn't it?

p.s. definitely OOP and going for outrageous prices. The highest was $178 US on ABE. Silly buggers.
 

WolfyJames

room said:
I've always liked that one too--very classy looking. I think it's OOP now, isn't it?

p.s. definitely OOP and going for outrageous prices. The highest was $178 US on ABE. Silly buggers.

I did not know that and I went to check on Amazon, they don't sell it anymore you're right and the others sell it highly. My mother and I each bought a deck for 5$USD on Amazon on sale, we were very lucky that day. :) Waiting to see the face my mother will make when I tell her I've seen the deck for 278.$USD.
 

room

WolfyJames said:
My mother and I each bought a deck for 5$USD on Amazon on sale, we were very lucky that day.

That's wonderful! By the time I started looking for it last year, it was unavailable.

Years ago at the tarot shop I used to go to (since closed) she showed me this deck, but I wasn't keen because it was a playing card deck. I didn't start reconnecting to playing cards until about 2 years later.

Rats!
 

Cerulean

Hiroshige playing cards...

They are readily available, but quite pretty...I've only seen the one with bits of gold touches here and there...

I have two anime 52 card poker sets...one for Princess Mononoke, one for Spirited Away.

The one I like best right now is the 75 card Unsun Karuta deck...has historical designs and 'gods and monsters' (actually childish Seven Lucky God personages and just dragons...)

My Hiroshige cards are the first link...the Unsun Karuta I've shown before...but these are both my inspiration now..
 

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Little Hare

Cerulean said:
They are readily available, but quite pretty...I've only seen the one with bits of gold touches here and there...

I have two anime 52 card poker sets...one for Princess Mononoke, one for Spirited Away.

The one I like best right now is the 75 card Unsun Karuta deck...has historical designs and 'gods and monsters' (actually childish Seven Lucky God personages and just dragons...)

My Hiroshige cards are the first link...the Unsun Karuta I've shown before...but these are both my inspiration now..


OH MY!!!!! Cerulean i love your hiroshige cards, are they available to order on-line? Also do you have a link where i could order both the spirited away and Princess Mononoke cards :drool:
 

room

Cerulean said:
My Hiroshige cards are the first link.....

I have the Hiroshige cards--I bought them about 3 years ago--saw you talking about them before. They are wonderful, one of my favourites and I'm so glad you mentioned them.

I also have the Ukiyo-e pack that Piatnik puts out--bought it to go with the Hiroshige cards. I also bought a little book with bamboo endpapers that has reproductions of the Tokaido Highway woodcuts plus haiku for each card.