La-Tee-Da transformation playing cards

This is a facsimile reproduction of the semi-transformation pack made in 1865 by Dean & Son of London, best known as a publisher of children’s books. It was published by F.G. & Co. in 2004 and made in the U.S. The square-cornered cards themselves appear to target a children’s audience with delightful and eclectic illustrations in red and black. The court cards depict gods, goddesses, clerks, queens, an odd scarecrow, Mr Punch and some Shakespearean characters. It is semi-transformation in the sense that the pips are integrated into the art on each card, but are not in their standard positions, having been moved around to accommodate the art work. The pack has 52 suited cards, plus 2 jokers. See the box►

Above: facsimile edition of ‘La-Tee-Da’ transformation playing cards, originally made in 1865 by Dean & Son of London, published by F.G. & Co. in 2004.

Dean & Son was a 19th-century London publishing firm, best known for making and mass-producing moveable children's books and toy books, established around 1800. Thomas Dean founded the firm, probably in the late 1790s, and his son George (1822-1891) became a partner in 1847. See here for more information

F.G.’s website is closed and appears to have gone out of business, but the following was taken from the F.G. site before its demise:

“Inspiration for F. G. & Co. products comes from an extensive, ever expanding, private archive of museum quality antique games and ephemera. Focusing on innovative graphic design, Gianna Majzler and Darren Calkins reinterpret their picturesque collection into enchanting paper crowns, graphically detailed gift tags, stunning playing cards and games, whimsical wrapping papers, party favors and other inspired home accents”.

“Thanks to F. G. & Co., contemporary players can enjoy the unique appeal of games like LA-Tee-Da Transformation, The Game of Ship's Cargo and Mademoiselle D'Arville Cards of Fortune as welcome alternatives to intense electronic or all-too-familiar board games. Beautifully printed and presented in keepsake boxes, each retains all the interest and charm of their original graphics”.

• SEE ALSO: Field, Albert Transformation playing cards, Stamford, CT: US Games Systems, 1987, pp. 113-115