Playing Card Innovation

33: Functional Changes to Playing Cards
The emphasis throughout my collecting has been on the design of the courts cards, and it should be pointed out that there have been some functional changes to cards, which have affected the traditional designs, especially in the 19th century.

A. Dougherty’s Triplicate Recreation
A recreated of the original 1876, No. 18, Triplicate deck by A. Dougherty by Michael Scott in 2014.

Airummy
Souvenir pack made for the Malta Tourism Authority, Malta, c.2000.

Andrew Dougherty 1848-1930
Andrew Dougherty was born in Donegal in Northern Ireland in 1827. He started his playing card business in New York in 1848.

Cartes Illustrées
Standard French designs adapted for children. Made by France Cartes for La Grande Récré, c.2016.

Corner Indices
Corner Indices were a major innovation in playing card production.

De La Rue
De La Rue introduced letter-press printing into playing card production and his patent was granted in 1831. He produced his first playing cards in 1832.

Delta Playing Cards
Delta playing cards are a modern art concept deck invented by Professor M. R. Ali, an artist operating under the company name of “Artology International”.

Egbert Moehsnang
The suit signs and indices are clear and easily recognisable, and each suit has a different predominant colour. The juxtaposition of traditional craft techniques with abstract modern design could be seen as postmodern.

EPCS May 1992 Newsletter Members Only
Most Honourable Order of the Bath • Kimberley of Birmingham • UCBS Happy Families • Bass Group • Robin Hood • Nestle • Berkshire Printing Company • Deakins Political

Ergomia
Complete re-design of traditional pack into what the publishers considered to be ergonomically efficient.

Foster’s Self-Playing Whist Cards
In 1890 R. F. Foster published the first edition of “Foster’s Whist Manual” which was to become the bible for serious whist players for the next two decades.

Fried Chicken Playing Cards
This innovative chicken-themed concept combines playing cards with the aroma of fried chicken.

Hesslers Enhanced
Matt Hessler’s “Enhanced” four-colour playing cards, 2015.

Il Quinto Seme
An Italian pack with a fifth suit of “amici” (“friends”).

Ivorette
Dougherty was at the forefront of innovation, adding Best Bowers and then Jokers, rounded corners and various types of indices, or indicators, to his cards.

Jass Allemand
Egbert Moehsnang produced this contemporary Swiss-suited, double-ended pack, based on original XV century sources, but they were shunned by card players.

John Newman’s Colour Cards
John Newman’s Colour Cards

Lecardo
‘Lecardo’ playing cards, dominos & word building game invented by Stanley Kermode, United Kingdom, c. 1939.

Lewis I. Cohen
Lewis I. Cohen made his first deck of cards in 1832. In 1835 Mr Cohen invented a new machine to print four colours on a sheet at once, which was to revolutionise the entire playing card industry.