Post Your Vintage Collection - Your Newest & Most Prized Acquisitions

[jmrock]

I figure I'd start off posting a few pics of one of my favorite vintage decks… 1800's Steamboats with Watermelon Joker… 

[Don Boyer]

I figure I'd start off posting a few pics of one of my favorite vintage decks… 1800's Steamboats with Watermelon Joker…

Whoa...  That's a museum piece, man!  I think you're making more than a few curators jealous!  Judging from the courts and indices as well as the presence of a joker, I'd wager that deck was from somewhere circa the 1885, plus or minus perhaps 10 or 15 years - am I close?  I'm thinking on the earlier end of that time frame, with the courts being two-headed but only in two colors, red and black.

Did the cards fade over time, or was that the natural color they were made in?  I recall that Steamboats were generally a more affordable brand, one that ended up made as a brand name of a few different companies.  If you could educate us on the brand a bit, I'd appreciate it as I'm sure the others would as well.

[JacksonRobinson]

This is one of my favorite decks in my collection. I picked it up from Steve Browling while at the 52+ Joker Convention this year.

Congress including the Dundreary Joker. from the late 1800s

This is probably the most easy to get version, but there are also two other joker versions that are even more rare.  One of the other versions has the same version but with slight flesh tones, and then the most rare features one that has an oval border.

The pictures don't show it very well but this set has really nice gold gilded edges.

[52plusjoker]

Wow - those are two great decks! The Steamboats were on cheap rough paper at that time and acquire the look you see in the pix as time goes by. My power just came back on and I'll be busy trying to post a few decks of ours today, answer questions, etc. And Jackson will send you a pic of the AD7 Ace.

Jonathon - nice start to your new Job !

[52plusjoker]

Just sent these pictures of one of my favorite old Dougherty decks, c1872, to one of our members. It is AD7 in the Hochman Encyclopedia. Love the engraved Ace and the logo type back.

[HandSkillz]

Ok, I'm understanding more and more the appreciation for the vintage decks.  It goes WAY beyond novelty, these cards really are gorgeous to look at.

[10ofclubs]

To jmrock, do they still print Steamboat decks? I know the Bucks released reprints last year or so but when was the last time a Steamboat deck was printed? I've only ever seen vintage ones.

To Jackson, that is a killer deck! But I thought Congress only made one way back designs? And what does the writing on the box say? Someone's name perhaps?
The box is the coolest part. Are there any other decks with wooden boxes like that?

To Tom (that is who operates the 52+Joker account, right?), can you give a little more information on Dougherty decks? Was it a brand by the USPCC like Steamboat and Congress? Or it's own separate entity? The different companies within companies that joined together is rather confusing to me.
Also, is that eagle image the ace of spades? Is it a close up because I don't see any indices?

Sorry for all of the questions, but like I've said many times, I just want to learn more. And anyone is free to answer, I was just addressing each person's deck so this post would be a little easier to understand.

[Knobz1]

To jmrock, do they still print Steamboat decks? I know the Bucks released reprints last year or so but when was the last time a Steamboat deck was printed? I've only ever seen vintage ones.

To Jackson, that is a killer deck! But I thought Congress only made one way back designs? And what does the writing on the box say? Someone's name perhaps?
The box is the coolest part. Are there any other decks with wooden boxes like that?

To Tom (that is who operates the 52+Joker account, right?), can you give a little more information on Dougherty decks? Was it a brand by the USPCC like Steamboat and Congress? Or it's own separate entity? The different companies within companies that joined together is rather confusing to me.
Also, is that eagle image the ace of spades? Is it a close up because I don't see any indices?

Sorry for all of the questions, but like I've said many times, I just want to learn more. And anyone is free to answer, I was just addressing each person's deck so this post would be a little easier to understand.

Hey, don't  feel bad. I know there are others including myself who would also like these questions answered as well. Just like you I don't know anything about vintage decks. That's why you, me, and everyone else come to the discourse to show are decks, talk about playing cards and learn as much as we can about this hobby. So keep asking questions. 

[52plusjoker]

To jmrock, do they still print Steamboat decks? I know the Bucks released reprints last year or so but when was the last time a Steamboat deck was printed? I've only ever seen vintage ones.

To Jackson, that is a killer deck! But I thought Congress only made one way back designs? And what does the writing on the box say? Someone's name perhaps?
The box is the coolest part. Are there any other decks with wooden boxes like that?

To Tom (that is who operates the 52+Joker account, right?), can you give a little more information on Dougherty decks? Was it a brand by the USPCC like Steamboat and Congress? Or it's own separate entity? The different companies within companies that joined together is rather confusing to me.


Also, is that eagle image the ace of spades? Is it a close up because I don't see any indices?

Sorry for all of the questions, but like I've said many times, I just want to learn more. And anyone is free to answer, I was just addressing each person's deck so this post would be a little easier to understand.

Hey, don't  feel bad. I know there are others including myself who would also like these questions answered as well. Just like you I don't know anything about vintage decks. That's why you, me, and everyone else come to the discourse to show are decks, talk about playing cards and learn as much as we can about this hobby. So keep asking questions. 

I'll try and answer the questions:

USPC stopped making Steamboats maybe 30 years ago - in fact might have been 40

The very first Congress decks had the type of pattern design shown by Jackson. His deck would be 1880's

Andrew Dougherty started manufacturing in 1848 in New York. It was acquired by USPC by USPC from his sons in 1907 and Dougherty brands were continued by the until 1930.
The Eagle card is the Ace of Spades. You can see the brand name very faintly above the eagle "Excelsior"

[jmrock]

Regarding Steamboats…
From the World of Playing Cards: "Owing to the romantic appeal of gambling on the Mississippi river, from the 1870s onwards many American playing card manufacturers added “Steamboats” to their range, differentiated by a number, such as 99 or 999. There do not appear to have been any copyright restrictions or patent laws covering the use of the name “Steamboats” as various manufacturers had this brand in their range. This is not the case with other brands such as “Bicycle” or “Bee”. “Steamboats” tended to be the cheaper end of the range, often but not always produced in a rudimentary quality. The theme of steamboats navigating up and down the Mississippi also extended to the cotton plantations alongside the river and to African American people employed therein who were sometimes depicted on the special Joker card. Times have changed and these cards are now documentary evidence of a past era of history."

As 10ofClubs pointed out, Steamboats were reprinted (beautifully I might add) by D&D… The USPCC was also reprinting these decks well into the 1990s and the early 2000s… At this point in time they are no longer being reprinted…

[10ofclubs]

Well thanks for the quick answers guys! I, as well as others, appreciate it!

[jmrock]

Please see pics of USPCC Steamboat 999s in blue & green c.1940-1955…  The green is an exceedingly rare color…  Reprints by Dan & Dave can be seen at the bottom in blue & red with an embossed tuck box...

[xela]

On my to do list: Break into Jmrock's house and steal those Steamboats.

On a serious note, I'll post up my collection when I move into a new place and unpack my decks! I hope they didn't get ruined in the box they're inside of D:

[Don Boyer]

Ok, I'm understanding more and more the appreciation for the vintage decks.  It goes WAY beyond novelty, these cards really are gorgeous to look at.

It's why this board exists!  Looks like you just swallowed the red pill... 

On the topic of Steamboats, both Tom and Jon are correct.  The original run of Steamboats ended about thirty or forty years ago.  My guesses as to why would include cost cutting, brand consolidation and the dropping cost of better quality stocks and printing methods, all of which were taking place during a period of several ownership changes from around the 1970s to the point where Jarden Products purchased the company.  I wouldn't be surprised if the negative depiction of blacks on the older jokers had been a factor as well.

A reprint run was made in the early-middle aughts, I think around 2007.  There may have been more than one reprint run, but '07 was pretty much the last of it, give or take a year.  They're easily spotted by the USPC sticker seal instead of having a stamp seal or a tax seal.  Then D&D did their reprints earlier this year, 2013.  And those are only the Steamboats #999 - I know of a #99 and a #0, which for all I know just vanished into history.

[jmrock]

A piece of USPCC Advertising History alongside (to show scale) an exceeding rare deck of Bicycle Racerbacks c.1940-1955… Would anyone like to venture a guess as to why this vintage run of the mill looking deck of Racerbacks is so exceedingly rare?

[52plusjoker]

Got me. Why?

[jmrock]

Almost always you'll find these as having Air Cushion Finish, while these are Bicycle Cards with an Ivory Finish… It's funny Tom, but whenever I start explaining something to you I'm always waiting for the other shoe to drop as though you're going to school me with some crazy knowledge and wisdom, reminding me of how much I have to learn… I'm not complaining, just glad you're here and I feel blessed that I am able to learn about something I love so much, from the foremost authority in the world…

[chess]

The bulk of my collection are modern decks, but I do like vintage USPCC.  Here is my small collection of vintage decks:
















































gilded  edges

[JacksonRobinson]

Just bought these gems from a long time 52+ Joker member Mr. Steve Browling I was able to make some trades for some of my newer Federal 52 releases.

Printed by The National Card Co., Indianapolis and New York
NU2 Superior Steamboats #9 (The Hochmman Encyclopedia)

c1885 This Deck was slightly better quality and soon replaced NU1. It was retained by USPC utnil about 1910.
Dawson p109

I'm still in search of me a good specimen of the Russel and Morgan US7 & US7a to round out my "Watermelon Joker" collection

Unfortunately the deck I acquired doesn't have a box so Its 100% complete but all cards are present.

[jmrock]

Jackson… I'm jealous… You seem to be making all the right contacts… That's a beautiful deck of cards… I especially feel that it's such an important deck to reflect the climate in the country during this period… I feel that when I leave a deck like this for my kids that it's important for them to know that history of the U.S.  and that racism was running rampant in this country, so much so that it was completely acceptable to print and distribute these cards to the general public… Great piece Jackson… Looks like you've gone from 0-60 in 2.4 seconds in Bugatti Veyron style…

[Nurul]

I bought these new fan backs off of eBay yesterday. The images aren't mine, but I figured I'd still post them as this is the deck I'll be receiving.

[JacksonRobinson]

Jackson… I'm jealous… You seem to be making all the right contacts… That's a beautiful deck of cards… I especially feel that it's such an important deck to reflect the climate in the country during this period… I feel that when I leave a deck like this for my kids that it's important for them to know that history of the U.S.  and that racism was running rampant in this country, so much so that it was completely acceptable to print and distribute these cards to the general public… Great piece Jackson… Looks like you've gone from 0-60 in 2.4 seconds in Bugatti Veyron style…

It doesn't hurt that all my deck purchases are tax write offs

[jmrock]

Jackson… I need my accountant to talk to your accountant  …
Nurul… You know you love cards when you can't wait until you receive your decks to share your pics… Only a true fan would be posting screen shots in anticipation of receiving their vintage finds...

[Nurul]

Jackson… I need my accountant to talk to your accountant  …
Nurul… You know you love cards when you can't wait until you receive your decks to share your pics… Only a true fan would be posting screen shots in anticipation of receiving their vintage finds...

Ha, ain't that the truth this is my bargain buy for the year, paid $30 inc p&p so I'm very happy with that now I just need a blue one ...

[runIt]

Here are some vintage decks from my collection. Though I am more into vintage casino decks, but I am very happy that this kind of section was created for users like us. Lurker no more. lol