Bourbon Bridge

There is no indication as to which old pack was being adapted here or whether the original pack had double-ended courts. However, the courts have retained their French names, complete with spelling mistakes (e.g., “IUDICTH” instead of “JUDITH”). Among the changes to make these woodcut-style cards suitable for modern play are the addition of indices (K, Q, J, 10 to A) and Jokers. The central pips on the Aces have been enlarged and given stripes. The maker’s name has been included on the Jack of Clubs. The cards have cream backgrounds and a modern plastic coating. The borderless, one-way back design is made up of fleurs-de-lis against either a red or a grey-blue background.

All in all, this was a popular pack which appealed to those wishing to play games with cards which had an old-fashioned look. See the box►

Above: Bourbon Bridge made by AGMüller, Schaffhausen, Switzerland, c1975. 2 x 52 cards + 3 (identical) Jokers, + title card (or paper slip) in presentation box. Size: 57 x 89 mm.

The first edition of these cards included a paper slip (size: 62 x 100 mm) with the manufacturer’s name given as “Muller & Co. Ltd.”. In a later edition, this had become a stiffer card (size: 61 x 97 mm) with the manufacturer’s name given as “AGM AGMuller”. Other variations in later editions include less rounded corners and the addition of a double-sided bridge score card.

• See the title card►