Post Your Vintage Collection - Your Newest & Most Prized Acquisitions

[Cryptocard27]

Very nice finds - both are early - I'd say 1885-1890 period.

Thank you Tom! I would have liked to add the John J. Levy deck but as you said, the price was very high and too expensive for me Despite this, do you think that the buyer got a good deal considering the rarity of the deck ?

[52plusjoker]

I would say buyer paid full price - considering condition, wrapper, etc. not an overpayment. In the end if you want it there should not be a problem paying top dollar as you may never get the opportunity again.

[MrVamp]

I just got this in the mail. I have seen one earlier post the High Finish Rider back blue version, and the poster mentioned that it was pretty rare. Anyone know the story about the High Finish Rider Back in general, and if it is really that rare? Usually the rider back comes in Air-cushion finish.

[Don Boyer]

I just got this in the mail. I have seen one earlier post the High Finish Rider back blue version, and the poster mentioned that it was pretty rare. Anyone know the story about the High Finish Rider Back in general, and if it is really that rare? Usually the rider back comes in Air-cushion finish.

Well, you can see that your deck has a "1 Pack" tax stamp on it - it was made between 1940 and 1965.  High Finish was commonly seen in Blue Ribbon and Aristocrat decks of that era, but I've heard of it being found on the occasional Bicycle deck as well.  There were many different, distinct finishes back then, unlike today.  Many of the finishes have names borrowed from the cloth used to make them - the texture on the card surface was created by using cloth rollers to apply a coating to the surface of the paper, leaving the fabric's pattern on the dried coating and providing a textured finish.  Common examples would be Cambric, Linen and Linoid.

These days, finishes are made using steel rollers pressing into the surface of the paper - flat for a smooth finish, dimpled for an embossed finish.  I couldn't give specifics on exactly what makes a High Finish a High Finish, but I'm guessing it was marketed as a premium texture compared to Air Cushion Finish.  It was also not uncommon for Rider Backs and other back designs to have an Ivory Finish - completely smooth.

[Chuqii]

These are fun cards.  Never realized how small they actually are until my first deck arrived.  I have no idea why this posted sideways.

[Don Boyer]

These are fun cards.  Never realized how small they actually are until my first deck arrived.  I have no idea why this posted sideways.

Those are quite charming.  I've never seen them packaged in a metal tin like that before.  I have a fondness for vintage miniature decks - while they were probably made in the thousands if not millions of decks, they were largely marketed for children, and like most childhood playthings in the early 20th century, I'm guessing the vast majority ended up in the trash due to either being destroyed, being confiscated by a parent or school teacher or the child becoming an adult and losing interest.  They're probably a bit less common than bridge or poker decks.

[Chuqii]

The tin is pretty neat. Has some images of other backs on it. I'll post some more pics tomorrow.

[Don Boyer]

The tin is pretty neat. Has some images of other backs on it. I'll post some more pics tomorrow.

It sounds like they made the one box design for the entire brand, using it to house all the different designs they sold.  That's pretty cool, actually, in addition to being highly functional.

[Chuqii]

Actually, the box advertised other USPC brands and backs.  Take a look.  Anyone know what the USPCA stands for?

[Don Boyer]

Actually, the box advertised other USPC brands and backs.  Take a look.  Anyone know what the USPCA stands for?

If I had to guess, I'd say it's United States Playing Card Company of America - but it's just a guess.

In the lid of the tin, the design on the right is an old Bicycle deck design.  Combine that with the ad on the bottom of the tin for Congress playing cards and it looks like they were trying to get young kids hooked on the habit of playing cards, graduating them to the "adult-sized" brands when they outgrew their miniatures.

[lovenugget2003]

Part of my favorite decks, and about 1970s

[lovenugget2003]

love these vintage decks forever

[Don Boyer]

love these vintage decks forever

I'm just trying to imagine what cards are in the Torpedo and Mohawk tuck boxes.  As far as I've been told, they were used as "catch-all" discount brands - basically, whatever cards they had lying around they needed to get rid of went into those boxes.  In later years, one usually only found Aviators in them as they were one of the cheapest brands USPC was making.  However, the Mohawks are from between 1940-1962 and the Torpedoes are from between 1962-1965.  The tax stamps are the clue to the age.

New York Consolidated was founded in 1871, bought by USPC in 1894 and run independently by them until 1930, at which point they were merged with A. Dougherty to form Consolidated Dougherty Co. - the Mohawks have a CDC cancellation on the stamp while the box says NY Consolidated.  It was common enough to continue using the old company names after the merger of the two - until the box redesign in 1992, Bee boxes state the NY Consolidated name on the face, while new Tally Ho boxes still state the A. Dougherty name today.  In 1962, USPC decided to disband/absorb CDC into the parent company, taking all their brands and marketing them as USPC brands - the Torpedoes have a USPC cancellation on the stamp.  Though to be honest, I'm not 100% sure if Torpedoes were a CDC brand or if they were USPC all along, in which case one can only say the deck is from sometime between 1940-1965.  "One Pack" tax stamps (both the square and rectangular versions) were created and used from 1940 until the tax was repealed near the end of 1965, to be replaced by the manufacturers' seals we know today.

Thus, both decks are no older than 1940, but the Mohawks are no younger than 1962 while the Torpedoes could be as young as 1965.  If the Torpedoes box has any CDC, NYCC or AD markings on it, then it can't be older than 1962 because of the USPC cancellation.

[lovenugget2003]

love these vintage decks forever

I'm just trying to imagine what cards are in the Torpedo and Mohawk tuck boxes.  As far as I've been told, they were used as "catch-all" discount brands - basically, whatever cards they had lying around they needed to get rid of went into those boxes.  In later years, one usually only found Aviators in them as they were one of the cheapest brands USPC was making.  However, the Mohawks are from between 1940-1962 and the Torpedoes are from between 1962-1965.  The tax stamps are the clue to the age.

New York Consolidated was founded in 1871, bought by USPC in 1894 and run independently by them until 1930, at which point they were merged with A. Dougherty to form Consolidated Dougherty Co. - the Mohawks have a CDC cancellation on the stamp while the box says NY Consolidated.  It was common enough to continue using the old company names after the merger of the two - until the box redesign in 1992, Bee boxes state the NY Consolidated name on the face, while new Tally Ho boxes still state the A. Dougherty name today.  In 1962, USPC decided to disband/absorb CDC into the parent company, taking all their brands and marketing them as USPC brands - the Torpedoes have a USPC cancellation on the stamp.  Though to be honest, I'm not 100% sure if Torpedoes were a CDC brand or if they were USPC all along, in which case one can only say the deck is from sometime between 1940-1965.  "One Pack" tax stamps (both the square and rectangular versions) were created and used from 1940 until the tax was repealed near the end of 1965, to be replaced by the manufacturers' seals we know today.

Thus, both decks are no older than 1940, but the Mohawks are no younger than 1962 while the Torpedoes could be as young as 1965.  If the Torpedoes box has any CDC, NYCC or AD markings on it, then it can't be older than 1962 because of the USPC cancellation.

Thans for your information. That's help me to clavify thd date of decks more clearly.

Please also find the below tax stamp bicycle, I found some information about "how to date a deck", the tamp was in use from 1919 to 1924. Am I right?

[Don Boyer]

Please also find the below tax stamp bicycle, I found some information about "how to date a deck", the tamp was in use from 1919 to 1924. Am I right?

The stamp itself was in use form 1894 to 1924.  Over the years, it went from being a two-cent stamp to eight cents, through the use of overprinting to indicate the new value.  If you look on your stamp's overprinting and cancellation, you can see in red that it was overprinted "8 Cts." and that it was canceled in black on "4-1-1919," or April 1, 1919 - the last nine in the year is mostly cut off, but enough of it is visible to make it positively identifiable, especially when you combine it with the period in which the card tax was eight cents - only one of the years occurred in the 1910s, the rest being in the 1920s.  After 1924, the tax went to ten cents and a new stamp was finally issued, taking this one out of circulation for good.

[lovenugget2003]

Please also find the below tax stamp bicycle, I found some information about "how to date a deck", the tamp was in use from 1919 to 1924. Am I right?

The stamp itself was in use form 1894 to 1924.  Over the years, it went from being a two-cent stamp to eight cents, through the use of overprinting to indicate the new value.  If you look on your stamp's overprinting and cancellation, you can see in red that it was overprinted "8 Cts." and that it was canceled in black on "4-1-1919," or April 1, 1919 - the last nine in the year is mostly cut off, but enough of it is visible to make it positively identifiable, especially when you combine it with the period in which the card tax was eight cents - only one of the years occurred in the 1910s, the rest being in the 1920s.  After 1924, the tax went to ten cents and a new stamp was finally issued, taking this one out of circulation for good.

Very clear explaination, thank you.
I hope I can find sealed deck older than 1900.

[Chuqii]

Here are some of my latest acquisitions of old USPC decks.

[Chuqii]

and some other older decks

[Kruser]

OMG!! ... Those are awesome!! (I'm swooning over the Tourist and Capitol decks, but the others are great too! - Some amazing backs!)

... How did you get them?

Kruser

[Chuqii]

I can't just give away my secret, but I'll give you a hint:  starts with e and ends with y. 

[Don Boyer]

I can't just give away my secret, but I'll give you a hint:  starts with e and ends with y.

...and it has a "ba" in the middle? 

It's a popular place to find vintage and antique decks - it makes collecting them far easier than it was in the pre-Internet days.

[Kruser]

Hi Card Fans!

… OK, this item doesn’t really stand up to the other cool decks in this thread - it’s not particularly rare (these sets come up on Ebay all the time), nor is it particularly old (1921-ish, right?)

Still, it’s a good starter item that displays nicely and is a great conversation piece.  I grabbed this set because the cards are in mint condition, and, especially, because the backs are amazing! … They have really grown on me! (Ebay didn’t do them justice).  The so-so box was a bonus.

I’ve (hopefully!!) attached a photo of the set, and a photo of the ace with the 2 backs. I’ve also added a link to a higher-res photo for zooming.  The colours really pop! … especially in the blue back.  The detail of the interior floral pattern is fantastic!  Also, for the 2 or 3 members who haven’t seen the DeLuxe ace, this one is a good example …

Cheers!

Kruser

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_Q0OJRTNZq-cHBsbW1JVjN1T0E/view?usp=sharing

[RFS1972]

New member here.  I've been collecting Kem cards for a little while, as well as Copag, Cartamundi, Dal Negro, Fournier and a smattering of others.  Mainly 100% plastic cards as I used to deal poker and love to play.  My dining room has turned into a poker room with a sizable card display.  I took some pics of the Kem collection.  I'll list the names of the cards also since at times, I've had to search and dig to find them out.  Maybe this will help others out and if I am incorrect, I can get the real name!



Picture 1
1.  Radiance
2.  Jacquard
3.  Panther
4.  Daisies
5.  Maple
6.  American Horses
7.  Cardinals
8.  Gamecocks (White)
9.  Gamecocks (Color)
10.  Mallard
11.  Duchess
12.  Shells of the Sea
13.  Scroll
14.  Club
15.  Carnations
16.  Spinnaker
17.  Casino Back
18.  Chrysanthemums
19.  Arrow
20.  Alpha



Picture 2
1.  Seagull
2.  York
3.  Flamingo
4.  Flying Cloud
5.  Carousel
6.  Seville
7.  Clipper Ship
8.  Harvest
9.  Arabesque
10.  Jade
11.  Stargazer
12.  Blossoms
13.  Eagle
14.  Paisley
15.  Windrose
16.  Wisteria
17.  Fantasy
18.  Fawn
19.  Augusta National Golf Club
20.  Pantheon



Picture 3
Left Box
1.  Kent
2.  Soverign
3.  Country Geese
4.  Sequence
5.  Florence
6.  Tall Ships
7.  Cameo
8.  Cameo Vine Border
9.  Crown
10.  Florentine
11.  Golf
Right Box
1.  Camellia
2.  Pharaoh
3.  Monaco
4.  Garland
5.  Pinochle
6.  Liberty Centennial
7.  Victorian



Picture 4
Left Box
1.  WPT (Wide)
2.  Barnes & Nobles (Wide)
3.  Hummingbird
4.  Unicorn
5.  Millinium (I think these are fake - they are made of paper and use the Hemisphere art)
6.  Egret
7.  Old Glory
8.  Water Lily
9.  Dogwood
10.  Balloons
11.  Medallion (??  Guesing on a name here...maybe Mandala?)
Right Box
1.  Zodiac
2.  Equestrian
3.  Inlay
4.  Allhambra
5.  Roses
6.  Angels
7.  Bicentennial
8.  Decor
9.  Mosaic
10.  Athens
11.  Golf II



Picture 5
1.  Liberty Centennial Clamshell
2.  Bicentennial Clamshell
3.  Carnation Clamshell
4.  Florence Miniature Set

[RFS1972]

Continued from previous post...

Picture 6
1.  Hemisphere Clamshell
2.  AMEX Clamshell
3.  Tall Ships Clamshell
4.  Gamecocks Clamshell

The last two pictures are just of the card collection portion of the poker room (most of it anyway).

[Kruser]

Hi RFS1972!

Nice collection!  ... I really like the displays you've created!

Kruser