Pictorial
Pictorial Playing Cards - De Luxe - Fabric Finish - manufactured by Alf Cooke Limited (Universal Playing Card Co.)

Pictorial Playing Cards manufactured for F. W. Woolworth & Co, 1950s-60s

Alf Cooke's range of De Luxe Pictorial Fabric Finish Playing Cards, in their bright orange boxes with a triangle and crown logo, were manufactured specially for F. W. Woolworth & Co. during the 1950s and 1960s. The designs were an expansion from the earlier New Bond series with new designs reflecting the new era marked by the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. In some cases the Universal Playing Card Co Ace of Spades is found, and in other cases the new Alf Cooke Limited Ace is found along with the newer Joker designs.

Above: Clan Tartan Pictorial Playing Cards - De Luxe Fabric Finish - manufactured by the Universal Playing Card Co., containing two Jokers and three-colour court cards. The name Alf Cooke Limited is printed on the box. These cards were also sold with Alf Cooke Ace of Spades as "Scottish Tartan" playing cards in a special box for Pepys Games.


Above: Pictorial Playing Cards - De Luxe Fabric Finish - manufactured by Alf Cooke Limited (Universal Playing Card Co) containing two Jokers and four-colour court cards. The Jokers have been slightly simplified by the removal of the banderole at the bottom. The Hiawatha Indian designs, available in red or green, were carried over from the earlier New Bond series.

Left: Pictorial Playing Cards manufactured by Alf Cooke Limited, unopened in their original tax wrapper c.1955-60.

Above: New Bond pack with the crown motif on the box and Alf Cooke ace of spades, 1960s. Courtesy Matt Probert.

By Simon Wintle
Member since February 01, 1996
Founder and editor of the World of Playing Cards since 1996. He is a former committee member of the IPCS and was graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal for many years. He has lived at various times in Chile, England and Wales and is currently living in Extremadura, Spain. Simon's first limited edition pack of playing cards was a replica of a seventeenth century traditional English pack, which he produced from woodblocks and stencils.
Trending Articles
Popular articles from the past 28 days
Related Articles

Woodblock and Stencil Jack of Clubs
A limited edition art print of the Jack of Clubs 1984 woodblock joker.

Woodblock and Stencil Jack of Hearts
A limited edition art print of the Jack of Hearts 1984 woodblock joker.

Woodblock and Stencil King of Diamonds
A limited edition art print of the King of Diamonds 1984 woodblock joker.

Woodblock and Stencil Joker
A limited edition art print of the 1984 woodblock joker.

75: Early American cards
An overview of some of the early cards made in the United States.

The Pack of Positivity
Katie Abey’s rainbow-coloured designs using crazy animals to convey motivating phrases.

On-line offsite data backup
On-line offsite data backup publicity playing cards produced by The Bunker, United Kingdom, c. 2004....

The Famous Dinosaurs Playing Cards
54 different dinosaurs, both large and small, illustrated by Cecilia Fitzsimons.

Commemorative Olympic Playing Cards
Commemorative Olympic Playing Cards produced by Waddingtons exclusively for Stanley Gibbons Antiquar...

Dorset Dialect Trails
‘Dorset Dialect Trails’ playing cards, United Kingdom, 2015.

Clamcleats playing cards
Clamcleats playing cards for sailors designed by Celia Allison, New Zealand, 1986.

Around the world in 54 cards
“Around the world in 54 cards” hand-coloured transformation pack produced by Peter Wood, United King...

The Journey
‘The Journey’ limited edition playing cards produced by Peter Wood, UK, 2008.

Pretty Frills
‘Pretty Frills’ playing cards promoting curtain and blind accessories.

The Origin of Patience Games in English
Jessel’s Bibliography of works in English on Playing Cards and Gaming describes “The first book on P...

The Broons and Oor Wullie playing cards
Characters from The Broons and Oor Wullie comic strips on their 75th anniversary.

History of London illustrated playing cards
A catalogue in 54 cards of some of the treasures held within the Museum of London collections.

Ladbroke Sporting Casino
Ladbroke Sporting Casino caricature cartoon playing cards, U.K, c.2006.

The Evolution of Bezique boxed sets, 1869 to 1990
The first company to register Bezique materials with Stationers’ Hall was Josh Reynolds & Son in Sep...

Goodall 1915-1916 Sample Book
Complete contents of a sample book by Goodall & Sons

Goodall 1916 Rockleigh Sample Book
Complete contents of a sample book by Goodall

Goodall 1879-1880 Sample Book
Complete contents of a sample book by Goodall & Sons

De La Rue 1932-1933 Sample Book of Advertising cards
Complete contents of a sample book of advertising cards by De La Rue

A Gardener’s Labyrinth
Photographs of flowers, herbs and vegetables by leading photographer Tessa Traeger.

Jonathan Hocus Pocus
Two sets of conjuring cards published by G. Martin, 6 Great St Thomas Apostle, London, early 19th ce...

Henley-on-Thames playing cards
Calendar events and visitor attractions to be found in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire.

De La Rue Pocket Guides
The 19th Century saw the production, by all of the major companies, of pocket guides or “mini-books”...

National Railway Museum
National Railway Museum with drawings by Stuart Black, United Kingdom, 1993.

Will’s Cigarettes and Auction Bridge
In 1926 Will’s issued a set of 25 cigarette cards on Auction Bridge, presenting a range of hands ill...

The Club Series by G. Bell & Sons
George Bell & Sons produced ‘The Club Series’ of books each specialising in one or more of the popul...

Hoyle v Foster: whose name should we remember?
Hoyle’s name is associated with the rules by which many games are played, particularly card games B...

Cribbage Patience or Cribbage Squares
Cribbage Patience or Cribbage Squares, produced by Messrs Edward Mortimer, Halifax and London.

Hoyle and his Legacy
Edmond Hoyle (1672-1769) was an English writer who made his name by writing on whist and a selection...

Glorious Scotland
54 photographic views of Scotland by Duncan I. McEwan.

A New Look at the Evolution of Whist Markers and Gaming Counters
This article aims to illustrate the evolution of whist and gaming counters from the 18th century to ...

Whist writers and pseudonyms
Why did so many early writers about whist and other card games feel the need to write under a pseudo...

Whist marker boxes
The Camden Whist marker was being advertised by Goodall and son in 1872 as a new product.

Bridge Markers and bridge scoring methods
Bridge Markers and bridge scoring methods 1900-1930

Pinochle
I have always been intrigued by the game Pinochle.

Mystery Objects
I need help in identifying the purpose of this particular piece of card-playing kit.

The Undeck
‘The Undeck’ with artwork by Ash Loydon, produced by Cultzilla, United Kingdom, c. 2018.

Twin Peaks coffee
‘Twin Peaks coffee’ playing cards produced by Cultzilla, United Kingdom, 2018.

Railway Posters Playing Cards
54 classic images from a bygone age of railway travel from the National Railway Museum, York.

WW2 German Propaganda Playing Cards
showing satirical portraits of Allied leaders and politicians