But it was only when playing cards emigrated to England that a common design really began to dominate the playing card industry. The company's long-lived brands include Bicycle, Bee Club Cards, Aviator, Aristocrat, and Hoyle, each with a distinctive card back design. How many seasons? It is from this era that the custom developed of associating specific court cards with famous names, the more well-known and commonly accepted ones for the Kings being King David (Spades), Alexander the Great (Clubs), Charlemagne (Hearts), and Julius Caesar (Diamonds), representing the four empires of Jews, Greeks, Franks, and Romans. In 1988 the company was merged into the Jesup Group then sold to Frontenac in 1989 for $95 million. Successful sales in that country led the company to establish a manufacturing facility in Windsor, Ontario, in 1928. Moreover, the company won rights to use the official logo of the Olympics to produce and distribute souvenir playing cards during the 1980 Winter Olympics. In the manuscript dated 1377, our German monk friend Johannes from Switzerland mentions the appearance of playing cards and several different card games that could be played with them. With the legalization of gambling in Las Vegas in 1931, casinos provided a new base of business. Gift tins of playing cards enjoyed brisk sales; USPC sold more than 400,000 units of a set with the Harley Davidson insignia between 1996 and 1998. In 2003 the company manufactured cards for PlayingPolitics2004.com, featuring prominent politicians. In collaboration with the U.S. government, the company also developed playing cards that aided the war effort. By the 11th century playing cards could be found throughout the Asian continent. Other games aimed at an older market included Pyramid Po-Ke-No, in which players formed a pyramid of ten poker hands, and The Headline Game, in which players made up media headlines based on predetermined letters of the alphabet and topics. These were represented by ideograms, with numerals of 29 in the first three suits and numerals 19 in the tens of myriads. AND, you can spell out the deck: The first reference to the card game in world history dates no later than the 9th Century, when the Collection of Miscellanea at Duyang, written by Tang Dynasty writer Su E, described Princess Tongchang (daughter of Emperor Yizong of Tang) playing the leaf game in 868 with members of the Wei clan (the family of the princess husband). Licensing agreements in 1996 allowed the company to produce cards based on such educational programs as The Brain Quest, The Magic School Bus, and Bill Nye the Science Guy. It is very possible that playing cards made their way from China to Europe via Egypt in the Mamluk period, with decks from that era having goblets (cups), gold coins, swords, and polo-sticks, which represent the main interests of the Mamluk aristocracy, and bear parallels to the four suits seen in Italian playing cards from the 14th century. Most early woodcuts of all types were coloured after printing, either by hand or, from about 1450 onwards, stencils. In 1985 a five-month labor strike ended with the company able to realize a 34 percent wage cut. Rouen in particular was an important center of the printing trade. The Knaves were commonly designated as La Hire (Hearts), Charlemagnes knight Ogier (Spades), Hector the hero of Troy (Diamonds), and King Arthur's knight Lancelot (Clubs). Alternatively, check out the entire range of vintage playing cards. The United States Playing Card Company began as an offshoot of a printing business founded in Cincinnati in 1867 by four men named Russell, Morgan, Armstrong, and Robinson. The knave is a royal servant, although the character could also represent a "prince", and would later be called a Jack to avoid confusion with the King. Do you have a favorite vintage deck? Our whirlwind historical tour will begin in the East, under a cloud of uncertainty about the precise origin of playing cards. USPC expanded its sales network during the 1930s, acquiring other selling agencies to promote certain brands of playing cards to different markets. With France divided into nine regions for this purpose, manufacturers within each region were ordered to use a standardized design unique to their region. Various Ganjifa cards from Dashavatara set, with ten suits depicting the ten Avatars of the god Vishnu. Italian playing cards, Sancai-type bowl, Northern Italy, mid-15th Century. From the earliest days of colonization there are even examples of native Americans making their own decks with original suit symbols and designs, evidently having learned card games from the new inhabitants. A 1990 public relations program, the Most Outrageous Tabloid Headline (MOTH) awards, attracted attention to the game and gained coverage in Newsweek, the Los Angeles Times, the Detroit Free Press, and on television's Joan Rivers Show. Their excellent condition despite their age indicates that they may have been made for a collection instead of game play. The Spanish packs also didn't have a 10, and with the absence of 8s and 9s in the national Spanish game of ombre, it resulted in a 40 card deck. Great article. In 1969 Diamond International Corporation, a forest products manufacturer, acquired the company, attracted by its profitability and an annual cash flow of $11 million. The first known book on cards called Yezi Gexi was allegedly written by a Tang-era woman, and was commented on by Chinese writers of subsequent dynasties.

Educated guesses have made links to the cards, suits, and icons of 12th century and even older cards in China, India, Korea, Persia, or Egypt, which may have been introduced to Europe by Arabs.

The Mameluke deck contained 52 cards comprising four suits: polo sticks, coins, swords, and cups. In 1880 Russell, Morgan and Company decided to enter the playing card business, then an industry dominated by companies on the East Coast. Finally we will travel over the ocean to the United States, which is where most of our decks are produced today by USPCC in the form that we now know them. This works in French as well as at least 3 other languages. The common consensus appears to be that an early form of playing cards originated somewhere in Asia, but to be completely honest, we cannot be entirely sure. In 1922, to promote card playing, particularly bridge, USPC established a radio station called WSAI. Only time will tell, but meanwhile you can enjoy a modern deck today, knowing that it has striking similarities with the playing cards of 15th century Europe, and that playing cards have been an integral part of life and leisure across the globe for more than 600 years! So let's head to Europe, to the earliest confirmed reference to playing cards there, which we find in a Latin manuscript written by a German monk in a Swiss monastery. USPC also produced special decks of playing cards for American troops that featured the latest military intelligence.

These Iraq's Most Wanted cards featured the trademarked Hoyle joker, to which USPC maintained trademark rights. In 1996 Expert Software released Bicycle Hearts & Spades and Bicycle Pinochle. As a result, the Ace of Spades tended to have elaborate designs along with the manufacturer's name. Rule made several changes to improve operations, such as eliminating excess inventory. 13 In addition to gaining a company Jarden management referred to in a 2004 New York Times article as "the quintessential dominate player in a niche market," the prospective new parent vowed to focus on the company's profitable licensing agreements and non-card game segments as well. Bicycle cards produced for Canasta featured the Fan Back design, a mirrored image of a fan decorated in a Spanish-style motif.

It is an innovation from around 1860 that designated a trump card that beat both the otherwise highest ranking right bower and left bower. Since the Sidereal lunar month may be approximated to 28 days, each suit is equal to 364 days of the year. Late 19th Century: Origins and Early Success. Spread across Europe and early design changes The queen was also eliminated from the Italian courts, and these instead consisted of a King and two knaves, an obermann (upper) and untermann (under). This initially involved hand stamping the Ace of Spades - probably because it was the top card. In 1987 the company's skilled printers went on strike only to be replaced permanently by non-union workers. Soon thereafter, the company was employing 20 people for the operation and producing 1,600 decks of playing cards per day. But new territory had been won, and indices eventually became standard, and today it is hard to imagine playing cards without them. It was also around this time that double-ended court cards became common (to avoid the need to turn the cards, thereby revealing to your opponent that you had court cards in your hand) and the existing full-length designs were adapted to make them double-ended. Also in the 15th Century, Europeans changed the court cards to represent European royalty and attendants, originally king, chevalier (knight), and knave. It is also to the English that we owe the place of honour given to the Ace of Spades, which has its roots in taxation laws.

How many weeks per season?

4 The standard German suits of acorns, leaves, hearts, and bells were predominant, however, although in nearby Switzerland it was common to see a variation using flowers instead of leaves, and shields instead of hearts. After a loss in 1983, the company was able to realize net income of $3.5 million in 1984. The Germanic suits are still used in parts of Europe today, and are indebted to this period of history. But from there we will make our way to Europe, first to Italy and Spain, then east to Germany, back west to France, and across the channel to England. Upload your photos in minutes. During the 1990s USPC directed its marketing efforts to appeal to diverse and changing consumer interests. Potato Head). But the real contribution of Germany was their methods of printing playing cards. Other software games released during this time included cribbage and poker. Printed woodcut decks appeared in the 15th Century. Through this innovation, a visible band on a box of cards would indicate whether someone had tampered with the deck. One final innovation that we owe to the United States is the addition of the Jokers. A competing firm, Andrew Dougherty and Company initially began producing "triplicates", offering an alternative that used miniature card faces on the opposite corners of the cards. Acquisitions followed, most notable, perhaps, being that of New York Consolidated Cards, known for its Bee brand of playing cards introduced in 1892. 18 (1876). Early History Russell, Morgan's first brand of playing cards was called Congress. Only in 1862 were approved manufacturers finally allowed to print their own Ace of Spades, but the fate of the signature Ace of Spades had been decided, and the practice of an ornate Ace with the manufacturer's name was often continued. USPC continued to grow as it returned to normal business in the postwar era. Due to the general public's preference for goods of English origin, some American makers even printed the word "London" on their Ace of Spades, to ensure commercial success! These 15th Century playing cards were probably painted. The suit signs in the first European decks of the 14th century were swords, clubs, cups, and coins, and very likely had their origin in Italy, although some connect these with the cups, coins, swords, and polo-sticks found on Egyptian playing cards from the Mamluk period. Besides these changes, America has not contributed any permanent changes to the standard deck of cards, which by this time already enjoyed a long and storied history, and had become more and more standardized. The company's promotional efforts resulted in increased sales, from $40 million in 1982 to $54.9 million in 1984. In 1984 USPC opened a museum at the Norwich headquarters to display its collection of European and American playing cards, a collection begun in 1900 and featured in a book on the history of playing cards in 1931. The earliest dated European woodcut is 1418. Symbolism Meanwhile early in the 15th century, the French developed the icons for the four suits that we commonly use today, namely hearts, spades, diamonds, and clubs, although they were called coeurs, piques, carreaux, and trefles respectively. Because we are all familiar with the modern deck of playing cards, a standard deck of Bicycle rider back playing cards seems very "normal" and "traditional" to most of us. At any rate these are still the four suits still found in Italian and Spanish playing cards today, and are sometimes referred to as the Latin suits. Click Order Now to build your personalized deck! Only in 1862 were approved manufacturers finally allowed to print their own Ace of Spades, but the fate of the signature Ace of Spades had been decided, and the practice of an ornate Ace with the manufacturer's name was often continued. Please note, comments must be approved before they are published, HUGE Selection of Playing Cards - BEST Prices - FREE* FAST SAFE Shipping. But from about 1418 to 1450 professional card makers in Ulm, Nuremberg, and Augsburg created printed decks. The reality is that playing cards have undergone a radical transformation since their first beginnings several centuries ago. An anonymous antiques dealer in Amsterdam bought the cards in 1978 for $2,800 during an auction in Paris, where the auction house claimed the cards dated to probably 16th century. Mauger Centennial (1876), Murphy Varnish (1883), Tally Ho No 9 (1885). It is not known whether these cards influenced the design of the Indian cards used for the game of Ganjifa, or whether the Indian cards may have influenced these. Source: International Directory of Company Histories, Vol.62. In a German pack from the 1440s, Queens replace Kings in two of the suits as the highest card. Using this knowledge, he was able to sell them only five years laterin 1983to The Metropolitan Museum of Art for $143,000, earning him a profit of $140,200. Another printing company had already printed decks with indices in 1864 (Saladee's Patent, printed by Samuel Hart), but it was the Consolidated Card Company that patented this design in 1875. In 1999 USPC obtained an important new contract when it received manufacturing and distribution rights for the Pokemon Rummy Game for children. Specialized decks of playing cards include those for playing the games of euchre, which uses nines, tens, and royal cards, and bridge, which calls for a slightly narrower sized deck. caramelos lechera leche argentinos vaquita dulce blister deliargentina dulceria golosinas argentinas vaquitas George Matteson Company's GEMACO brand became an important new competitor in the Atlantic City casino market during this time. You can see a complete list of his game reviewshere, and his playing card reviewshere. In the account books of Johanna, Duchess of Brabant and Wenceslaus I, Duke of Luxemburg, an entry dated May 14, 1379, reads: Given to Monsieur and Madame four peters, two forms, value eight and a half moutons, wherewith to buy a pack of cards. Consumer advertising in magazines supported the trend as did a radio advertising campaign that touched on the nostalgia of card playing with the sound of shuffling cards, resulting in significant sales increases in the major metropolitan areas where it aired. In Germany, hearts (Herz/Rot), bells (Schellen), leaves (Grn), and acorns (Eichel) became the standard suits and are still used in Eastern and Southeastern German decks today for Skat, Schafkopf, Doppelkopf, and other games.

Spanish cards developed somewhat differently, the court cards being a king, knight, and knave, with no queens. Using techniques of wood-cutting and engraving in wood and copper that were developed as a result of the demand for holy pictures and icons, printers were able to produce playing cards in larger quantities. For years and years, my parents gave us and our grandchildren Congress playing cards with our names on them, and I very much took it for granted. For example, in 1978 the company issued cards with backs featuring a depiction of King Tut's exotic, black and golden tomb, commemorating the special exhibit of Egyptian treasures on tour in the United States. The 30-acre site provided ample space for offices and production and warehouse facilities, as well as for expansion. In his spare time he also volunteers with local youth to teach them the art of cardistry and card magic. Playing Card Presents an Adult Party Game Called The Headline Game,", Blankenhorn, Dana, "New for PC: Bicycle Solitaire game pack debuts,", Boyer, Mike, "Playing Card to Deal with Dispute,", "Card Company Reaches for Younger Generations,", Carlson, Scott, "St. Paul, Minn.-Based Brown & Bigelow Sells Playing-Card Unit to Ohio Company,", Croft, Tara, "Four of a Kind for Jarden,", "Expert Software and Microsoft Corp. to Bring Bicycle Card Games to the Internet Gaming Zone,", Hannon, Kerry, "'We're Finally Playing with a Full Deck',", "Independence MO Firm Playing Its Cards Right,", "Local Firm Big Winner in Pokemon Card Game,", "Morehead, Albert H., "Rummy From Argentina,", Raines, Halsey, "Playing Cards and Their History,", "Rosenthal Named Chairman of U.S. The Playing Card Factory provides easy-to-order Canadian made custom playing cards. There does seem to be evidence of some kinds of games involving playing cards (and drinking!) The English government passed an Act that cards could not leave the factory until they had proof that the required tax on playing cards had been paid.

In February 2004, USPC braced for another reorganization as an acquisition bid from New York-based Jarden Corporation was accepted. But eventually standardization began to happen, and this was accelerated in the 1700s when taxing on playing cards was introduced. Most of its production facility was converted for the assembly of parachutes used to carry antipersonnel fragmentation bombs. He is considered an authority on playing cards and has written extensively about their design, history, and function, and has many contacts within the playing card and board game industries. The original meaning of knave was male child, so in this context the character could represent the prince, son to the King and Queen; the meaning servant developed later. In August 1991 SWFTE International (acquired by Expert Software in 1992) released the Bicycle Solitaire Game Pack which offered seven versions of solitaire for the PC. Debunking Common Myths - Did Playing Cards Develop from the Tarot Deck? In the 1400s playing cards often appear along with dice games in religious sermons as examples of gambling activities that are denounced, and there is clear evidence that a 52 card deck existed and was used in this time.

The Master of the Playing Cards worked in Germany from the 1430s with the newly invented printmaking technique of engraving. But to people of the past, a deck like this is anything but normal! In response, a new marketing strategy was developed in which special back designs were offered to appeal to diverse consumer interests. USPC renewed its attention to the casino market by creating products that addressed the particular concerns of casino managers worldwide. "The Bicycle Games Division of U.S. Despite the failed economy in the United States at the time, sales at USPC increased substantially during the 1930s, from less than $700,000 in 1933, to $6.9 million in 1935. Having outgrown its facilities in downtown Cincinnati, USPC moved five miles south to Norwood, in 1900. To continue reading an in-depth history of the Playing Card, please click on the Wikipedia link below. Moreover, in November of that year, Microsoft Games Division licensed the Bicycle brand to provide new game titles for its computer software. Curd hired Ronald Rule as chief executive officer in 1985. The Joker was initially referred to as "the best bower", which is terminology that originates in the popular trick-taking game of euchre, which was popular in the mid-19th century, and refers to the highest trump card. Court cards designed in the 16th Century in the manufacturing centre of Rouen became the standard design in England, while a Parisian design became standard in France. In this period, the South American game Canasta became very popular in the United States. In 1966, during the Vietnam War, USPC responded to a request for packs of cards containing only the Bicycle Ace of Spades, considered a portent of death and suffering by the Viet Cong. The Spanish packs also didn't have a 10, and with the absence of 8s and 9s in the national Spanish game of, To establish themselves as a card-manufacturing nation in their own right, the Germans introduced their own suits to replace the Italian ones, and these new suits reflected their interest in rural life: acorns, leaves, hearts, and bells; the latter being hawk-bells and a reference to the popular rural pursuit of falconry. Other license agreements for card back designs included characters from Batman, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, and Marvel Comics. But to prevent tax evasion, in 1828 it was decided that from now on the Ace of Spades had to be purchased from the Commissioners for Stamp Duties, and that it had to be specially printed along with the manufacturer's name and the amount of duty paid. USPC underwent several organizational changes in the late 1980s and early 1990s before becoming an independent company again. Playing cards first entered Europe in the late 14th Century, probably from Mamluk Egypt, with suits very similar to the tarot suits of Swords, Staves, Cups and Coins (also known as Disks, and Pentacles) and those still used in traditional Italian, Spanish and Portuguese decks. An expert in medieval manuscripts at Sothebys and mineral testing of the paint on the cards both confirmed the antiques dealers research. Paper is fragile and typically does not survive well across the ages, so solid historical evidence is lacking. Italian and Spanish cards of the 15th century used swords, batons (or wands), cups, and coins (or rings). In the 15th Century in Europe, the suits of playing cards varied; typically a deck had four suits, although five suits were common and other structures are also known. You can view his previous articles about playing cardshere. While Howard Curd, chairman of Jesup and Lamont, was interested in the company for its large market share, USPC continued to flounder under his leadership. The court cards from the late 14th century decks in Italy typically included a mounted king, a seated and crowned queen, plus a knave. American politics provided another profitable venue for USPC during this time.

Among the unique brands marketed to Canadian customers was Texan 45, a style popular in Quebec since its introduction in the 1930s. The earliest cards were made by hand, like those designed for Charles VI; this was expensive. Companies that wanted to reproduce the deck with the Hoyle joker had a legal obligation to obtain licensing rights from the company. The USPCC has absorbed many other playing card producers over more than a century of dominance, and they are considered an industry leader and printer of choice for many custom decks produced today. During the late 1990s sales increased as card playing enjoyed a rebirth in popularity. The $7 million acquisition added $22 million in sales. 52 With improved processes in manufacturing paper, and the development of better printing processes, including Gutenberg's printing press (1440), the slower and more costly traditional woodcut techniques previously done by hand were replaced with a much more efficient production. As a result, to this day it is the one card in a deck that typically gets special treatment and elaborate designs. Curd initiated a sales and marketing program to recapture market share, and in January 1983, with the expectation of increased sales and economic recovery, USPC increased production. The Parisian names have become more common in modern use, even with cards of Rouennais design. In Kuei-tien-lu, a Chinese text redacted in the 11th Century, we find that dominoes cards were printed during the Tang Dynasty, contemporary to the first printed books. USPC products are distributed worldwide under brand names that vary according to local markets. Rule reduced the company's sales force by nearly one-half and reorganized to better serve the casinos and retail chain stores. This company was responsible for introducing and popularizing corner indices to the English pack, to make it easier for players to hold and recognize a poker hand by only fanning the cards slightly. Custom decks abounded, and suit symbols used in the novelty playing cards from this era include animals, kitchen utensils, and appliances, from frying pans to printers' inkpads! 91 4 = 364 with one joker =365 and the second joker 366 for leap year




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