Hustling Joe
Hustling Joe himself appears on the Ace of Spades dressed in red.
Hustling Joe No.61, 1895
Hustling is the deceptive act of disguising one's skill with the intent of luring someone to gamble with the hustler, as a form of confidence trick. Hustling Joe himself appears on the Ace of Spades dressed in red. The Joker may be an accomplice in the scam. The non-standard and slightly comical court cards have different coloured backgrounds in each suit, and each pip card features a unique and amusing scene which tells a story. But this is not quite a “Transformation” deck in the true sense as the pips are not properly integrated into the designs. Nevertheless the cards have a certain charm which would have appealed to children if not to serious card players.
Above: the first edition of Hustling Joe No.61 published by the United States Playing Card Co, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1895. While in the first issue of the deck his costume as seen on the Ace of Spades is red, a second edition was immediately issued to correct some design flaws found in the first edition and his costume was changed to yellow. The back design is a double-ended black and white scene of gnomes ice skating in the moonlight. The wrapper is printed in gold, and the deck has gold edges, as stated on the box.
All above images are from the collection of Rod Starling, author of "The Art and Pleasures of Playing Cards", available on Amazon►
Above: Hustling Joe No. 61 (second issue), USPCC, 1895 — Ace of Spades showing Hustling Joe in yellow. Image kindly provided by Juan José Ruiz.
Above: cards from the first edition. Courtesy Rex Pitts.
By Simon Wintle
Spain • Member since February 01, 1996
I am the founder of The World of Playing Cards (est. 1996), a website dedicated to the history, artistry and cultural significance of playing cards and tarot. Over the years I have researched various areas of the subject, acquired and traded collections and contributed as a committee member of the IPCS and graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal. Having lived in Chile, England, Wales, and now Spain, these experiences have shaped my work and passion for playing cards. Amongst my achievements is producing a limited-edition replica of a 17th-century English pack using woodblocks and stencils—a labour of love. Today, the World of Playing Cards is a global collaborative project, with my son Adam serving as the technical driving force behind its development. His innovative efforts have helped shape the site into the thriving hub it is today. You are warmly invited to become a contributor and share your enthusiasm.
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