The World of Playing Cards Logo

Sherlock Holmes

Published January 19, 2021 Updated April 10, 2023

Sherlock Holmes deck with caricatures by Jeff Decker published by Gemaco Playing Card Co. 1989.

1989 USA Gemaco Sherlock Holmes Jeff Decker Art & Design Caricatures Comic Books Literature

Sherlock Holmes deck published by Gemaco Playing Card Co., 1989.

A total of 18 eccentric caricatures of Sherlock Holmes characters are shown against a pale blue background. All the picture cards are signed by the artist, Jeff Decker, the prodigious Sherlockian illustrator. The back design shows Sherlock Holmes, complete with deer-stalker, Inverness cape, pipe and magnifying glass inspecting a playing card, and Professor Moriarty. Holmes is also portrayed on the ace of each suit, in different poses.

Sherlock Holmes deck with designs by J. Decker, Gemaco 1989 Sherlock Holmes deck with designs by J. Decker, Gemaco 1989
Sherlock Holmes deck with designs by J. Decker, Gemaco 1989

Above: Sherlock Holmes deck with designs by Jeff Decker published by Gemaco Playing Card Co., © F. Vacante, 1989. 52 cards + 3 jokers in box.


Further Reference

Author Archives: Jeff Decker

avatar
775 Articles

By Rex Pitts (1940-2021)

Member since January 30, 2009

Rex's main interest was in card games, because, he said, they were cheap and easy to get hold of in his early days of collecting. He is well known for his extensive knowledge of Pepys games and his book is on the bookshelves of many.

His other interest was non-standard playing cards. He also had collections of sheet music, music CDs, models of London buses, London Transport timetables and maps and other objects that intrigued him.

Rex had a chequered career at school. He was expelled twice, on one occasion for smoking! Despite this he trained as a radio engineer and worked for the BBC in the World Service.

Later he moved into sales and worked for a firm that made all kinds of packaging, a job he enjoyed until his retirement. He became an expert on boxes and would always investigate those that held his cards. He could always recognize a box made for Pepys, which were the same as those of Alf Cooke’s Universal Playing Card Company, who printed the card games. This interest changed into an ability to make and mend boxes, which he did with great dexterity. He loved this kind of handicraft work.

His dexterity of hand and eye soon led to his making card games of his own design. He spent hours and hours carefully cutting them out and colouring them by hand.

Related Articles

2004 Red Hat Society playing cards

Red Hat Society playing cards

Society that encourages women in their quest to get the most out of life.

1798 Pam is the Knave of Clubs

Pam is the Knave of Clubs

Playing cards as metaphors in 18th century art - from fate, chance and social hierarchy t...

1983 Politiker-Skat by Bubec

Politiker-Skat by Bubec

Caricatures of world leaders, including many German politicians, by the artist Bubec.

1983 Le Poker Politique

Le Poker Politique

French politicians and various world leaders caricatured by the German artist Bubec.

1978 Modern Jass (Fredy Sigg)

Modern Jass (Fredy Sigg)

Caricatural updating of traditional Swiss Jass cards by the artist Fredy Sigg.

1990 Leadmill playing cards

Leadmill playing cards

Promotional pack for an arts centre in Sheffield with designs by Martin F. Bedford.

1975 Mountain Dream Tarot

Mountain Dream Tarot

Groundbreaking Tarot created by Bea Nettles, using photographs and photo montage.

2024 Agatha Christie and card games

Agatha Christie and card games

Agatha Christie uses card-play as a primary focus of a story, and as a way of creating plots and mot...

1985 Blake et Mortimer – La Marque Jaune

Blake et Mortimer – La Marque Jaune

Blake and Mortimer comic strip characters created by Edgar P. Jacobs.

2021 Junior Playing Cards

Junior Playing Cards

Child-friendly versions of standard English pattern cards designed by Louie Mantia, Jr.

2021 Last Call Cats playing cards

Last Call Cats playing cards

Bar-crawling cats, designed by artists Arna Miller and Ravi Zupa.

2006 La Baraja del Mundial

La Baraja del Mundial

“La Baraja del Mundial” satirical football deck published by Fournier for ‘Interviú’ news magazine. ...

2010 Typographic Playing Cards

Typographic Playing Cards

Typographic Playing Cards designed by Jim Sutherland, c.2010.

2022 Damn! Fools by Moon

Damn! Fools by Moon

Damn! Fools playing cards designed by Leo Scherfig, 2022.

2006 Covered bridges playing cards

Covered bridges playing cards

Historical covered bridges with photography by Bill Miller, 2006.

1981 Motherpeace Round Tarot

Motherpeace Round Tarot

An original and imaginative feminist tarot based on Goddess energy.