Perverted Playing Cards by Elena Dolgova

[CthulhuWho1]

While we were all waiting for, and then pledging on, Uusi's "Hotcakes," there was another related deck that I was quietly working on acquiring.

This deck was important enough to me that I didn't even want to mention it for fear that someone would find it and get it before me...

But since I finally received one deck for myself today, I can reveal what I've been chasing after.

For quite some time, I've been searching high and low for a deck of Elena Dolgova's "Perverted Playing Cards."

Elena Dolgova (a.k.a. Albicocca) is a Russian-born artist, now living in Vienna, Austria. She has been drawing illustrations for magazines and world famous brands advertising for over 12 years. Her works are preserved in private collections and state-owned galleries of Russia, France, Austria, Norway and the U.S.A..

On September 12, 2009, Elena published her "Perverted Playing Cards" in an edition of 200 decks, with every Red Tuck Case copy being signed and numbered, in Casino Classic 310gm paper .

I truly believe that anyone who likes Uusi's "Hotcakes" will also want to find a deck of theses cards too.

Although the cards were "Sold Out" everywhere I turned during my quest to find a deck of her cards, Elena Dolgova was kind enough to put me in-touch with a friend of hers in Russia, whom was able to sell me an unsigned deck in a clear case.

I don't know how many unsigned decks are out there, but I'm tickled to finally own a set of the cards, with or without the signed and numbered card.

April 30, 2014 NOTICE: I just got word from Julia Solovyeva in Russia, my source for my deck of Perverted Playing Cards, and she said the original 200 decks were sold out, and Elena modified the pictures and packaging for the current release of 80 decks; which are available at: http://belolapik.ru/#!/~/product/category=3878020&id=1485731


If you'd like to see more of her card work try the following links to see GIF animations of her double-ended cards:

Clubs:
https://www.behance.net/gallery/414303/Perverted-playing-cards.... onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

Hearts:
https://www.behance.net/gallery/198863/Hearts-kingdom.... onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

Spades:
https://www.behance.net/gallery/248672/Spades-kingdom.... onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

and
Diamonds:
https://www.behance.net/gallery/304456/Diamonds-kingdom.... onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

Will Hart
Fullerton, California!

[Don Boyer]

They look great!  What does the card back look like?

[CthulhuWho1]

Don,

I'm very glad you also like the Russian cards!

I've just added the Back image for Elena's Perverted Playing Cards to the original message, plus a link to where the remaining 2 decks (out of 80 done for a revised printing) may be currently purchased.

Will Hart
Fullerton, California

[jwats01]

Will,

Thanks for all the info on these cards! I also like them!

I'm trying to navigate a purchase via the Russian webpage without too much luck!  LOL

[BeDoubleYou]

I tried purchasing a deck and they wouldn't allow me to ship to my address. I emailed the help email that was recommended but I'm not sure whether or not they speak English. Any amount of help you could provide Will, would be great.

[Don Boyer]

When she gets back from taking her son to the doctor, I'll ask my wife to help.  She's a native-born Ukrainian and grew up speaking Russian.

[BeDoubleYou]

You'd be my hero, Don. Or rather, your wife would. Still haven't received any word back from the site but I imagine thats more because they're in a different tome zone.

[Don Boyer]

I'm going to print the site page and she's going to give me a translation.  Anything more than that would have to wait for tonight.

EDIT: discovered the site has an English-language counterpart site.  The selection there is a bit more limited and doesn't include the cards, but if you like the artist's work, it's available for sale without translation and priced in euros.  It's an artist's site belonging to Yana Frank, another Russian designer, nicknamed "Miu Mau" and based in Berlin, who carries Elena Dolgova's work as well as her own.  They're probably friends.  The site style is nearly identical to the Russian site but with more photos.

http://mammamiu.com/index.html

However, I have a sneaking suspicion that based on what the English site is saying, the Russian site is only available for ordering in selected countries.

from http://mammamiu.com/about.html:

Attention! For byuers from Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan: please order the same things at www.belolap.ru   !

Внимание! Покупатели из России и стран СНГ - Большинствто втоваров из этого магазина вы можете купить в московском магазине Белолапик!

The Russian site appears to be only for ordering within the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS, or in Russian, СНГ).  I'll still keep at it to see what we can find, though.  The rough Google translation of the Russian sentence appears to say that there's a brick-and-mortar store in Moscow called Belolapik (Белолапик)!

SECOND EDIT: my wife gave me the translation, but there's not a lot there regarding the actual ordering other than the deck is priced at 600 Russian rubles - that's a few cents less than US$17.  The cards are poker sized and made on graphite-core 310gsm stock.  They're completely machine-made, never touched by human hands - and manufactured in the United States!  Comes in a clear plastic box.  They had a lot of 80 decks for sale and they're down to the final two decks in their inventory.

Your best bet may be to contact the English-language site for customer service to see about getting the deck from the Russian site shipped to you through them somehow.  Expect to pay for shipping from Moscow.

[BeDoubleYou]

She sent an email back with pricing and rough shipment costs and told me I could pay using Paypal. Did not mention how to get them sent to the U.S.

EDIT: You're probably right, Don. Thanks for all the help. Thank your wife for the help as well.

I have the last two decks shipping to my house from Moscow. One is for trade or sale, PM or email me if interested.
 

[CthulhuWho1]

Everybody,

Sorry about the difficulty with the Russian store site!

I never knew about the Russian store site until Wednesday.

To get my deck I just worked through Julia Solovyeva directly by email, and paid her through PayPal.

=========================================

30.04.2014, 01:54, "Will Hart"

> Dear Julia,
>
>    My beautiful deck of cards arrived today, and I just wanted to Thank You!
>
>    I also have three questions for you too.
>
>    I've read there were 200 numbered and signed decks in red cases, but I
> don't know how many un-signed decks were made in clear cases like mine.
>
>    Do you know how many of these were made?
>
>    Do you have more available?
>
>    And,
>
>    May I give your email address to those still looking for one of these
> decks too?
>
>    I hope you are Well and Happy!
>
>        Will Hart
>  Fullerton, California

=========================================

Julia Solovyova [juliasolo (at) yandex.ru] (Change the (at) to @ and remove the spaces) 

Dear Will,
It's new edition. I thought you told about it.
You can see the pictures in our store: http://belolapik.ru/#!/~/product/catego ... id=1485731
Last edition was sold out and Elena modified the pictures and packaging for new one. 80 decks were produced.
Yes, you can give the e-mail address and store address to any person.
--
Best regards,
Julia Solovyeva

[BeDoubleYou]

I figured it out, Will. She was very helpful and had me pay her through PayPal as well. Thank you for getting the word out about this deck, as artistic promotional decks are kind of my favorite decks. The Uusi team are among my favorite artists and this deck is something thats just as beautiful and has rhe advantage of being somewhat elusive.