J. C. Vickery of Regent St, London - Pinochle set mint, 1890?

[Mike Ratledge]

As usual, when I see something that doesn't look right, and it's listed for $29.95 by someone who obviously has no clue what they are selling, I don't feel obligated nor need to tell them, I simply purchase it.

This is branded in nine places with "J C Vickery - Regent St"  (doesn't even say London).  Funded in 1879 and moved in 1920, since these four basically unplayed decks have no indices, I suspect that they are closer to the earlier date than the latter. It has a 40 piece ivory Tally boards and a hidden scoring pad as well, all hand tooled and silver fittings, as well as two score pads that have pencils that have never been used, apparently. I am not even willing to hazard a guess for it, because they were custom silver and leather makers. What do you think?

[52plusjoker]

Nice set - who made the cards - can we see an Ace and a back?

[Mike Ratledge]

Here you go, I see nothing to ID.  I looked through the red cards (stored on the left) and looked to see if the AoD perhaps is marked, but no.  I can find no marks whatsoever.

I found out more about it, and they actually lasted another few years at the new address before the depression put them out of business in 1928, so it says online.  The single item I found so far is a sterling pen with an old-world plume out the back for some $700 price on eBay including shipping, of course in British Pound Sterling on eBay.co.uk

Other more elaborate items range from $500 to $3500 but none have a single playing card in them, or so far I have not seen another deck.  The cards could actually have been printed by a local London stationer or perhaps themselves, I suppose?  It's hard to say, there are names of the courts on them.  I will examine them more closely when I have time to catch my breath.

[52plusjoker]

The cards are European [likely French] in the French standard style. I think the maker's name is in the margin on each court, but I can't make it out. Can you enlarge it? Also the city name is probably on the other margin.
JC Vickery is most probably a stationer. These cards would not be original to the case - it would have had English cards.

[Mike Ratledge]

The cards are European [likely French] in the French standard style. I think the maker's name is in the margin on each court, but I can't make it out. Can you enlarge it? Also the city name is probably on the other margin.
JC Vickery is most probably a stationer. These cards would not be original to the case - it would have had English cards.

Vickery was a custom silversmith and leather (suitcsase, etc) maker in business from 1890 to 1920 at that address, and the 128 cards are 4x Baptist Paul Grimaud, apparently 1890'ish?  The text is the name of each person on the court, not something to identify.  I found another example close to this online in London for $1200 but a double deck of 32 pinochle in a smaller leather 'clutch' type wallet, and I also saw a plumed silver (.925) pen that was $695 in pretty crappy condition, likely needs to be cleaned, but I don't do silver, so not for me.  They were famous for doing gator, ostrich, etc - even emu leather and only made-to-order silver-smith type place as they say in England "bespoke".  They also occasionally made gold custom as well, but I have not seen even one.  Of course we're talking a company that went out of business nearly 100 years ago.  One place I read says they moved in 1920 and went out of business before 1930 due to the depression and lack of orders for such fancy things.  I found another example on ebay.co.uk of a pair of silver binoculars for $3500 ("Buy it Now"), and a couple of liquor hip flasks ranging from $275-$350 US equivalent.  Quite unusual, and to be honest I'll just have to drag these along with me in October!  In another mis-listed item I bought a Phinney-Walker (made the clocks in the Model T Ford) alarm clock with 1948 date stamped on the mechanism that sitll works and had space for two card decks inside the leather box.  I opened it and there were two decks of 1948 Hermes in pristine condition, but opened.  It looks like they have never been shuffled. I saw this same pair for $1500 and later $1300 from Don D (worldclassplayingcards) so he must have sold it at that $1300 price, or got a good enough "Make Offer".  I didn't follow-up to see if it sold that way.  Those were one sealed, one open.  There is a Christmas 1947 version (real 1st edition by Cassandre, the original designer that they opened with in 1947), single deck, opened.  It was also mis-listed as unknown date, but the only difference between 47 and 48 is the back colors are inverted: 47 has mostly white, 48 has mostly blue and red color.  Identical otherwise, including the non-standard pips, truly unusual courts, etc.

[spindles]

As usual, when I see something that doesn't look right, and it's listed for $29.95 by someone who obviously has no clue what they are selling, I don't feel obligated nor need to tell them, I simply purchase it.

Mike, if you don't mind me asking, what search terms do you like to use? Thank you.

Enjoy that awesome find!