Illuminated Playing Cards, c.1865
Facsimile edition of Andrew Dougherty's Illuminated deck, c.1865, published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc., and described as 'Civil War Illuminated Poker Deck'
Facsimile edition of Andrew Dougherty's Illuminated deck of c.1865. See the Information cards►
Above: cards from facsimile edition of Andrew Dougherty's Illuminated deck of c.1865, published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc., and described as 'Civil War Illuminated Poker Deck'. The cards are illuminated with gold ink to recreate the look of the original cards. 52 cards + 3 information cards in slip case. The court cards are inspired by the designs of De La Rue, rather than those issued earlier during the Coughtry & Dougherty partnership. The name 'Excelsior' at the top of the Ace of Spades was a label given to decks during the no indices era, until around 1880.
Illuminated decks were also published by Lawrence & Cohen in c.1863.
Note: information regarding the classification and relatedness of the variants of the standard English pattern comes mostly from Ken Lodge's work (see bibliography).
By Simon Wintle
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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