Fredericks & Mae playing cards

Colour is the key element in this pack – at the expense of other design features. The effect of spreading all the cards out does indeed resemble a rainbow; however, the gradations of colour are not uniform, such that certain cards (notably the 3H, 7H, 10H, 5S, QS, KS, 5J, JD) stick out like a sore thumb. Given the relatively poor quality of the card stock, it is impossible to fan the cards evenly. As for the design itself, the court cards all feature a circle of stars, with a wreath added to the design for the Qs and Ks and a pattern of circles in the centre of the Ks – not very imaginative. The pips are laid out in a non-standard fashion on the numeral cards, with the central pips on the 2s and 3s ending up upside down vis-à-vis their normal positions (except on the suit of diamonds). The back pattern is unremarkable. All in all, a nice idea but not well executed.

Above: Fredericks & Mae playing cards published by Princeton Architectural Press, New York, NY, USA, 2015. 52 cards + 2 extra cards in black and white + 29-page booklet (history and card game rules) in telescopic box. Size: 63.5 X 89.5 mm. Made in China. © 2015 Fredericks & Mae

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