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The Great Indoors

Published August 14, 2022 Updated August 15, 2022

“The Great Indoors” playing cards published by DesignWorks Ink, Nashville, USA, 2021.

2021 USADesignWorks Ink

Stylish designs with little to do with what it says on the box! Designed in the USA, made in China, published by DesignWorks Ink, Nashville, TN, USA, 2021. See the box

If you saw a pack called “The Great Indoors”, featuring pot plants all over the box, what would you expect to find inside? Tips about indoor gardening? Images of pot plants? Well, pot plants make up the pattern on the reverse, but the faces are quite a surprise. They have some traditional elements but the palette of colours used is unusual – maroon, pale gold, grey, etc. The same featureless faces have been used for all the court cards but there are subtle differences between the red suits and the black suits including different crowns, and different flowers held by the queens. The costumes are differently patterned and coloured. All the pips are bicoloured (split down the middle).

“The Great Indoors” playing cards published by DesignWorks Ink, Nashville, USA, 2021 “The Great Indoors” playing cards published by DesignWorks Ink, Nashville, USA, 2021

Above: “The Great Indoors” playing cards published by DesignWorks Ink, Nashville, USA, 2021. 52 cards + 2 Jokers in tuck box. Size: 63 x 88 mm. Purchased in London, July 2022.

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By Roddy Somerville

France • Member since May 31, 2022

Roddy started collecting stamps on his 8th birthday. In 1977 he joined the newly formed playing-card department at Stanley Gibbons in London before setting up his own business in Edinburgh four years later. His collecting interests include playing cards, postcards, stamps (especially playing cards on stamps) and sugar wrappers. He is a Past President of the Scottish Philatelic Society, a former Chairman of the IPCS, a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards and Curator of the WCMPC’s collection of playing cards. He lives near Toulouse in France.

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