Continental Card Co
The Continental Card Company, 220 North Second Street, Philadelphia, started in 1874, manufacturing various qualities of playing cards, including Continental Steamboats, Manhattans, Continental Moguls, etc. Single-ended and double-ended decks are known, also a "Highest Trump" Joker.
Continental Card Co., Philadelphia (1874-1880)
The Continental Card Company, 220 North Second Street, Philadelphia, started in 1874, manufacturing various qualities of playing cards, including Continental Steamboats, Manhattans, Continental Moguls, etc. Single-ended and double-ended decks are known, also a "Highest Trump" Joker. However, they do not appear to have remained in business for very long.
Above: cards produced by The Continental Card Company, Philadelphia, c.1875. The single-headed courts in this example are very similar in design to those produced by Dougherty, c.1855, The Union Playing Card Co and N.Y. Consolidated Card Co. (Samuel Hart) and also those sold under the name of Thomas Crehor and by Russell & Morgan Co., 1881 in its Tiger 101 brand, with and without indices. The ace of spades featuring a horseshoe and a four-leafed clover, symbols of good luck, might have been better suited as a Joker!
By Simon Wintle
Spain • Member since February 01, 1996
I am the founder of The World of Playing Cards (est. 1996), a website dedicated to the history, artistry and cultural significance of playing cards and tarot. Over the years I have researched various areas of the subject, acquired and traded collections and contributed as a committee member of the IPCS and graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal. Having lived in Chile, England, Wales, and now Spain, these experiences have shaped my work and passion for playing cards. Amongst my achievements is producing a limited-edition replica of a 17th-century English pack using woodblocks and stencils—a labour of love. Today, the World of Playing Cards is a global collaborative project, with my son Adam serving as the technical driving force behind its development. His innovative efforts have helped shape the site into the thriving hub it is today. You are warmly invited to become a contributor and share your enthusiasm.
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