Amalgamated Playing Card Co., Ltd

The Amalgamated Playing Card Co., Ltd, Leeds and London

Agreement had been reached between Waddington's and De La Rue during the second world war for Waddington's to manufacture playing cards for De la Rue. Thus the Amalgamated Playing Card Company was born but it remained an unofficial name for many years.

Over the years Waddington's Playing Cards and Games divisions became very fragmented and cards were manufactured at different locations. In 1960 the excise duty on playing cards was abolished, opening the way for foreign imported cards.

In 1962 Waddington's and De La Rue therefore joined forces and re-launched the Amalgamated Playing Card Co., seeking to consolidate their efforts in the home market. However, De La Rue's involvement gradually declined so that sales were subsequently handled by Waddingtons and the Amalgamated Playing Card Co. between them. During this period hundreds of packs are known to have been produced for casinos, clubs and general advertising with the legend 'The Amalgamated Playing Card Co. Ltd - Leeds and London' on the ace of spades. In 1971 Waddington's purchased De La Rue's share of APCC, thus becoming the sole manufacturer of playing cards in the UK at that time.

See When Three Brands Merge►

Alf Cooke Limited (formerly 'Universal Playing Card Co. Ltd') was taken over by the Amalgamated Playing Card Company Ltd in 1971. The stock and machinery were transferred to Waddingtons.

Above: Playing Cards manufactured by Waddington's for The Amalgamated Playing Card Co., Ltd, c.1965-70. The Quality Control Slip bears the name of Waddingtons.

Above: ‘Cir-Q-Lar’ Playing Cards manufactured by Waddington's for The Amalgamated Playing Card Co., Ltd, c.1970.

Above: matching patience packs with special aces of spades for B.O.A.C., c.1970. Image courtesy Matt Probert.

By Simon Wintle

Member since February 01, 1996

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Curator 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.