Southern Pacific Souvenir of the Golden West playing cards featuring the Sunset, American Canyon and Shasta Routes, published by the Interstate Company exclusively for Southern Pacific News Service, c.1915. Each card shows an oval photographic scene with a different tone for each suit. The backs feature a view of Mount Shasta.
Above: Southern Pacific Souvenir of the Golden West playing cards published by the Interstate Company, after 1915. 52 cards + joker + extra card with gilt edges in box. The deck includes a booklet giving conscise information regarding the subject pictured on each card. Images courtesy Matt Probert.
By Matt Probert
Member since March 02, 2012
View ArticlesI have adored playing cards since before I was seven years old, and was brought up on packs of Waddington's No 1. As a child I was fascinated by the pictures of the court cards.
Over the next fifty years I was seduced by the artwork in Piatnik's packs and became a collector of playing cards.
Seeking more information about various unidentified packs I discovered the World of Playing Cards website and became an enthusiastic contributor researching and documenting different packs of cards.
I describe my self as a playing card archaeologist, using detective work to identify and date obscure packs of cards discovered in old houses, flea markets and car boot sales.
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