The Deck
The Deck semi-transformation playing cards, USA, 1983.
The style of this fun pack is “semi-transformation” (i.e. the pips are arranged in a non-standard pattern in a variety of different ways, or may be of an unusual size or colour, in order to fit into the picture, drawing or cartoon on the front of each card). The pack was produced by Ink,Inc., New York in 1983 and features delightful designs on every card by famous New Yorker cartoonists William Steig, 1907-2003 (Hearts), Lee Lorenz, 1932-2022 (Clubs), Roz Chast, 1954- (Diamonds), Arnie Levin, 1938- (Spades), and Jack Ziegler, 1942-2017 ((Joker, backs).
Above: The Deck semi-transformation playing cards produced by Ink, Inc., New York, USA, 1983.
Note: Ink, Inc. is a graphic design, printing and print-brokerage house established in 1978.
Reference: Field, Albert: Transformation Playing Cards, US Games Systems, 1987, p.178, #67.
By Peter Burnett
United Kingdom • Member since July 27, 2022
I graduated in Russian and East European Studies from Birmingham University in 1969. It was as an undergraduate in Moscow in 1968 that I stumbled upon my first 3 packs of “unusual” playing cards which fired my curiosity and thence my life-long interest. I began researching and collecting cards in the early 1970s, since when I’ve acquired over 3,330 packs of non-standard cards, mainly from North America, UK and Western Europe, and of course from Russia and the former communist countries.
Following my retirement from the Bodleian Library in Dec. 2007 I took up a new role as Head of Library Development at the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP) to support library development in low-income countries. This work necessitated regular training visits to many sub-Saharan African countries and also further afield, to Vietnam, Nepal and Bangladesh – all of which provided rich opportunities to further expand my playing card collection.
Since 2019 I’ve been working part-time in the Bodleian Library where I’ve been cataloguing the bequest of the late Donald Welsh, founder of the English Playing Card Society.
Activity for The Deck
Sign in to comment or save this article.
Related Articles
Karten-Almanach
Fifth Transformation Card Almanac published by J.G. Cotta’s bookshop, 1810.
Early nineteenth-century Transformation cards
Vernacular hand-painted Transformation cards, probably early 19th century.
Royal Mischief Transformation
Royal Mischief Transformation reworks Patrick Valenza’s Royal Mischief characters and imagery...
Get Decked
Black and white cartoons devised by Sam Wagner with help from artist Lindsay Bevington.
Impressionist Art Cards
Details of 13 paintings by 8 different Impressionist artists on elongated cards.
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! playing cards
Strange facts from Robert Ripley’s ‘Believe It or Not’ books, in the form of cartoons.
Artist’s Aces of Spades
Artist’s Aces of Spades deck published by Robert Billingsley, USA, 1986.
Y-ME playing cards
Works by 54 American artists in aid of a breast cancer charity.
EclecDeck
EclecDeck transformation playing cards created by Dave Ufford, 2013.
Tamarind Institute stacked deck
Tamarind Institute stacked deck, USA, 2003
White House of Cards
“White House of Cards” produced by Peter Dunlap-Shohl, USA, 2017.
Art Quilt playing cards
A pack showcasing the work of 54 of America’s finest quilt artists.
Curator
The Curator Deck with designs by Emmanuel José with suit symbols cleverly transformed into artistic ...
Palladin
Palladin Parlour & Playing Cards by Laura Sutherland, published by Palladin Paperworks, Santa Cruz C...
Under the Sea
“Under the Sea” transformation playing cards, published in 2005 to raise money for the Marine Stewar...
Hustling Joe
Hustling Joe himself appears on the Ace of Spades dressed in red.
Pack of Dogs
Pack of Dogs playing cards designed by John Littleboy. Every card tells a story...
The Deal Playing-card Project
A deck of cards produced as a creative collaboration and made possible largely through volunteers an...
Renaissance Playing Cards
Renaissance Playing Cards by Maxim Hurwicz, showing 54 different drawings spanning the years 1066 to...
4 Seasons Playing Cards
Colours of the Four Seasons - Playing Card Art Deck
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 60 days
