Bordesley Paper Works
461 Coventry Road
Birmingham

This rare Victorian manufacturer made standard English playing cards for a short period during the late 1880s and early 1890s. Two versions are known, both double-ended packs with 52 cards, one with four-colour courts and the other with red and black-only court cards, which were presumably more economical.

The ace of spades has elaborate scroll-work and the registered design no.292518. The cards have round corners and narrow indices as these were becoming the norm around this time.

Left: the front of the box