New Bond
The New Bond Fabric Finish Playing Cards, made by the Universal Playing Card Co. Ltd.
Fabric Finish Playing Cards made by the Universal Playing Card Co. Ltd
Printed with red/yellow/black courts and a range of art-deco back designs, these packs were sold in Woolworths stores during the late 1930s and 1940s. The Contract Bridge Scoring card is dated 31/3/35. The brand was followed in the 1950s and 60s by “De Luxe Pictorial Playing Cards” with the “New Bond” name retained as a sub-title. The tax wrappers were overprinted with the retailer’s stamp “FW Woolworth & Co Ltd”.
Above: The New Bond Fabric Finish Playing Cards, made by the Universal Playing Card Co. Ltd. , 1940s
Above: The New Bond Fabric Finish Playing Cards, made by the Universal Playing Card Co. Ltd and Alf Cooke Ltd.
Above: New Bond fabric finish pack with 4-colour courts with the crown motif (which was associated with the Pictorial Playing Cards brand) on the box, 1960s. Courtesy Matt Probert.
King Edward VIII Souvenir
Published to mark the accession of the new King in 1936. Edward VIII was King of the United Kingdom from 20 January 1936 until his abdication on 11 December the same year.
Above: King Edward VIII fabric finish Souvenir, 1936. Images courtesy Matt Probert.
Note from Roddy Somerville
I have a pack with what is presumably the matching blue back for the Edward VIII souvenir pack but in a box with the inscription "Coronation playing cards". The Coronation, of course, never took place!
Above: Edward VIII Coronation playing cards, 1936.
By Simon Wintle
Spain • Member since February 01, 1996
I am the founder of The World of Playing Cards (est. 1996), a website dedicated to the history, artistry and cultural significance of playing cards and tarot. Over the years I have researched various areas of the subject, acquired and traded collections and contributed as a committee member of the IPCS and graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal. Having lived in Chile, England, Wales, and now Spain, these experiences have shaped my work and passion for playing cards. Amongst my achievements is producing a limited-edition replica of a 17th-century English pack using woodblocks and stencils—a labour of love. Today, the World of Playing Cards is a global collaborative project, with my son Adam serving as the technical driving force behind its development. His innovative efforts have helped shape the site into the thriving hub it is today. You are warmly invited to become a contributor and share your enthusiasm.
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