Sherlock Holmes by Jackson Robinson

Published December 13, 2013 Updated July 07, 2026

A 2013 Sherlock Holmes playing card review by Jackson Robinson, officially licensed by the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Estate.

2013 USADetectiveKickstarterLiteratureJackson RobinsonKings Wild ProjectUSPCCSherlock Holmes

Jackson Robinson's Sherlock Holmes packs were officially licensed by the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Estate and released in 2013 as three distinct editions. The project was funded through Kickstarter, where 1,499 backers pledged $100,288 to help bring it to life, and the campaign still provides a useful reference point for the wider presentation and additional images. Each one takes a different route through the same source material, with the most detail concentrated in the card faces, backs, and tuck cases rather than in any broad reinterpretation of Holmes.


The Baker Street Edition

The Baker Street Edition is the most immediately recognisable of the three. Its back design borrows familiar motifs from the stories, while the courts lean on late 19th and early 20th century engravings and illustrations linked to Conan Doyle's fiction.

The tuck case uses embossing and gold foiling on both the outside and inside, and the cards are printed on USPC Aristocrat stock with an embossed finish. A 221B tuck seal ties the edition back to Holmes' London address.

The Holmes Edition

The Holmes Edition keeps the same overall structure but shifts the tone. The courts are more stylised and theatrical, and the red metallic ink gives the faces more presence without pushing them into novelty.

The Moriarty Edition

The Moriarty Edition follows the same layout but pushes the palette in a colder direction. Silver foiling and metallic silver ink give it a darker finish, which suits the character better than the description on the box suggests.

Above: a spread of the court cards featuring Roylott, the Gracious Lady, Mycroft, Milverton, Morstan and Watson, with the ornate back design shown at right.

Above: Lestrade, Hudson, Holmes, Moran, Adler and Moriarty, together with the Ace of Spades and the deck’s “The game is afoot” motif.

Concept Art from the Kickstarter Campaign

References
  1. Kickstarter campaign for Sherlock Holmes playing cards by Jackson Robinson
avatar
153 Articles

By Adam Wintle

Thailand • Member since March 15, 1997

Adam has been involved in developing the site as well as reviewing new decks and conducting research. He is particularly interested in innovation, Kickstarter and East Asian cards. He is a member of the IPCS, 52 Plus Joker, and webmaster of the EPCS.

Activity for Sherlock Holmes by Jackson Robinson

Sign in to comment or save this article.


Related Articles

2020 Summer Solstice

Summer Solstice

Jackson Robinson’s Summer Solstice is a minimalist seasonal pack built around solar colours and geom...

2022 Romeo & Juliet

Romeo & Juliet

A Shakespearean-themed pack, with Spanish-suited and standard editions.

2021 Peter Pan

Peter Pan

A Peter Pan-themed deck developed through live-streamed drawing sessions, with members invited to su...

2012 Misc. Goods Co. Playing Cards

Misc. Goods Co. Playing Cards

One of the early custom playing-card projects funded through Kickstarter, and the starting point for...

2013 Federal 52

Federal 52

Federal 52 (2013) was Jackson Robinson’s first Kings Wild playing card release, based on th...

2022 The Bird by Kings Wild Project

The Bird by Kings Wild Project

Originally titled Oriole Playing Cards, based on a deck produced by The New York Consolidated Card C...

2017 Arthurian by Kings Wild Project

Arthurian by Kings Wild Project

Arthurian Playing Cards by Kings Wild Project, a luxury playing card deck designed by Jackson Robins...

2018 Kings Wild Tigers Playing Cards

Kings Wild Tigers Playing Cards

Kings Wild Tigers is Jackson Robinson’s 27th successful playing card Kickstarter campaign. A luxury ...

1945 Michie Tavern Museum

Michie Tavern Museum

Historic Michie Tavern Museum playing cards by Brown & Bigelow.

2014 Kingdoms of a New World

Kingdoms of a New World

“Kingdoms of a New World” playing cards designed by Nathanael Mortensen, 2014.

2014 Different Playing Cards by Teach By Magic

Different Playing Cards by Teach By Magic

Instead of the usual ace of spades, or a seven of diamonds, this pack has a "spade of aces" and a "d...

2014 Surena: The Persian Playing Cards

Surena: The Persian Playing Cards

Diba Salimi has created a hand illustrated pack inspired by Persian ancient history, art and Persian...

2014 Edgar Allan Poe Playing Cards

Edgar Allan Poe Playing Cards

A Kickstarter campaign for a fine deck of playing cards inspired by the works of Edgar Allan Poe

2014 Steampunk Playing Cards

Steampunk Playing Cards

These steampunk inspired cards are based around a pair of real steampunk goggles that you can purcha...

2013 Kingdoms of a New World

Kingdoms of a New World

Enter the Kingdoms of the New World with these fantasy themed playing cards by Nathanael Mortensen, ...

2014 Decked Out

Decked Out

Connie Lim has created a beautifully illustrated set of fashion inspired playing cards, a tangible ...

2014 Civil Unrest Playing Cards

Civil Unrest Playing Cards

A deck of cards inspired by the American Civil War, featuring leaders, army generals, President Abra...

2013 Believe Playing Cards

Believe Playing Cards

A deck of playing cards inspired by the Wayang Shadow Puppets of the Island of Java.

2013 The Black Book of Cards

The Black Book of Cards

The Black Book of Cards by UnCommon Beat

2013 Blueblood Redux Playing Cards

Blueblood Redux Playing Cards

Follow-up pack for the 2012 Blue Blood Playing Cards pack on Kickstarter.


Sign in with Google