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
Spain • Member since February 01, 1996 • Contact
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.
Related Articles
The Lumberjacks
2nd edition of Lumberjacks designed by Vadim Smolenskiy and manufactured by U.S.P.C.C.
42: Andrew Dougherty
Andrew Dougherty was one of the biggest American card-makers in the 19th century
No.500 Playing Cards
No.500 Playing Cards published by U.S.P.C.C., c.1910
Army & Navy
Andrew Dougherty’s Army & Navy deck from the Civil War era, c.1865.
Union Playing Card Co.
Not much is known about this early manufacturer who is reckoned to have traded between c.1860s-1890s...
Tally-Ho
The earliest Ace of Spades had the Centre Street address and the Jolly Joker was used until the “Tal...
Indicator No.50
No.50 appears at the bottom of the Ace of Spades and the cards have corner indices and miniature sui...
Andrew Dougherty c.1850
The idiosyncratic courts used in this deck were used by several other U.S. manufacturers, including ...
Cruiser Playing Cards
Dougherty's ‘Cruiser No.96’, first published c.1897, was dedicated to the U.S. Navy..
13: Some North American Cards
I deal with some of the US makers in more detail on other pages, but here is a brief introduction.
Excelsior
Excelsior by A. Dougherty, c.1870.
Jumbo Bridge 88
Cards with jumbo indices were introduced in 1895, and were given the subtitle '88'.
The United States Playing Card Company
Over the years the pressures of competition and other market forces have led to many smaller manufac...
Strauss & Trier, c.1860
Strauss & Trier, New York, c.1860.
Andrew Dougherty 1848-1930
Andrew Dougherty was born in Donegal in Northern Ireland in 1827. He started his playing card busine...
Thomas Crehore copy, c.1850
Thomas Crehore copy, c.1850.
Squeezers No.35
By 1877 the New York Consolidated Card Co's "Squeezers" were a great success on account of the indic...
U. S. A.
The manufacture of playing cards in America only began during the second half of the 18th century, a...
Bonnie Blue’s Rummy Cards
Bonnie Blue’s Rummy Cards.
4 Seasons Playing Cards
Colours of the Four Seasons - Playing Card Art Deck
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 60 days
