this site is aces.

March 12, 2003 9:04 AM

The Bob Lancaster Gallery of Unusual Playing Cards is a collection and celebration of the beauty of playing cards. The site is over 7 years old and is still updated when Bob comes across a new find. Personal favorites are Le Florentin and the very intriguing Transformation Decks. After viewing the decks, you may wonder why the ace on the ace of spades is larger than the others.
posted by iconomy (24 comments total)

I ought to send a link to this site to one of my great-uncles, who also collects decks of cards--he has shelves upon shelves of them--as well as cribbage boards. Fun link, iconomy.
posted by thomas j wise at 9:11 AM on March 12, 2003

more on playing cards
posted by goddam at 9:28 AM on March 12, 2003

Delightful link, iconomy - the Star Trek ones are nerdilicious! One comment - they make room for Tribbles (the joker), yet nary a Gorn to be found. C'mon people, The GORN!!!
Shanesque tiny voice: Man am I a dork!
posted by jonson at 9:28 AM on March 12, 2003

The Art Quit deck was probably my favorite.

But I had to wonder - is there no deck featuring that classic trash art piece, Dogs Playing Poker?
posted by orange swan at 9:30 AM on March 12, 2003

The Art Quilt deck was probably my favourite.

But I had to wonder - is there no deck featuring that classic trashy art piece, Dogs Playing Poker, complete with a card within a card within a card effect?
posted by orange swan at 9:32 AM on March 12, 2003

That is an awesome link. I will have to look at it again when I have more time.
posted by aacheson at 9:34 AM on March 12, 2003

The Big Dogs deck at least makes reference to the poker-playing canines on the back image. Does seem like it would be an irresistable deck design though.
posted by cairnish at 9:38 AM on March 12, 2003

wow. fantastic link iconomy. thank you.

[this is good]
posted by fishfucker at 9:39 AM on March 12, 2003

Wonderful post iconomy, but with only one complaint: had you waited a couple more weeks to post it, you could have given the proper attention to the delightrul Sloof-Lirpa Transparent Deck. This delightful feast for the eyes is easily the most amazing of the many fanciful decks on display. Thanks!
posted by yhbc at 9:42 AM on March 12, 2003

I got your Gorn right here Jonson!

And yes, great link.
posted by ursus_comiter at 9:51 AM on March 12, 2003

Here are cards featuring Rex, Spot, Fido, Rover, and Puddles, otherwise known as "Dogs Playing Poker". I have no idea why I know the names of the dogs. I really need to get out more.

My fascination with cards started years ago when I started to wonder how the Suicide King came to be, and if in fact he was really putting a sword through his skull, or just behind his head.
posted by iconomy at 9:54 AM on March 12, 2003

Very nice post, iconomy. The Florentin deck (Artist Paul-Emile Becat took four years to design and create the memorable images in the deck) is particularly beautiful.
posted by Ljubljana at 9:54 AM on March 12, 2003

Thanks for the post. I had always wondered that about the aces, but never realized till today that I was even wondering.
posted by soyjoy at 10:08 AM on March 12, 2003

ursus_comiter is the coolest person on Metafilter!!!
posted by jonson at 10:22 AM on March 12, 2003

Great site! I adore the Evil Forces in East Slavic Mythology deck. But I have a soft sport for evil forces in Slavic mythology, anyway. No, seriously.

And dare I say it? I believe that site actually makes good use of frames.
posted by jennyb at 10:25 AM on March 12, 2003

The joker from the Schering Pharmaceuticals deck is going to give me nightmares.
posted by antispork at 10:40 AM on March 12, 2003

This is good.
posted by plep at 10:49 AM on March 12, 2003

One feature of this site that really puts the icing on the cake is the collection of links at the bottom of the page for each deck, which direct the reader to more info about the theme of that deck. Pirates for example. Yarr! Superb link, iconomy.
posted by chrid at 11:04 AM on March 12, 2003

ooh. yummy. I love Ruth Kedar's analog deck, and the page has a link to her website, where she also has her wonderful Adobe and Duolog Decks.

has anyone told Miguel about the Cocktails Patience natural aluminum playing cards?
posted by taz at 11:24 AM on March 12, 2003

ps: if anyone has problems with the javascript popups on Kedar's site (duolog crashes my browser) go here for the html. Replace the "2" in the url with "1" for the Analog deck and with "3" for the Adobe deck.
posted by taz at 11:35 AM on March 12, 2003

Do check out the Cardhouse Deck 'o Junk as well.
posted by jazon at 1:57 PM on March 12, 2003

So far, the links are mostly to novelty cards. How about collections and histories of more traditional decks (with plenty of odd ones mixed in)?

Andy Pollett's page (Geocities mirror) is phenomenal (start at the gallery index: each gallery includes an informative essay). I find the 13th c. Mamluk cards particularly intriguing, and most readers here will probably find the true (non-occult) origins of the tarot pretty interesting (see also here).

Maybe you want to know what kinds of games are played with this remarkable variety of objects... Being an amateur of the living game traditions more than of expensive antiques available for sale, I'll skip the auctioneers and point you to the best online store for playing cards in current production.

Here's an interesting card collection; here's one focussing on tarot (via here).
posted by Zurishaddai at 3:14 PM on March 12, 2003

Whoops, start at the gallery index here (links to everything from advertising decks to cards of India and China).

Also, I should've mentioned the Web sites for information about playing-cards directory at John McLeod's pagat.com, which links the FPP collection, a good playing card FAQ, etc.
posted by Zurishaddai at 3:20 PM on March 12, 2003

Wow, Zurishaddai, Andy Pollett's site is a whopper. Great info, thanks!

Also, from the last link, you've gotta love this Tahititian Tarot card.
posted by taz at 11:43 PM on March 12, 2003