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From Clear The Decks December, 2002
EPHEMERA COLUMN
by Judy Dawson
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As we are doing this edition on Bicycle playing cards I have decided to delve into our book of single cards to feature some of the neat ways the playing card manufacturers advertised on their cards. They probably did most of these as giveaways but it is possible that in the odd case the recipients paid for them. It was definitely a form of mutual advertising on many of these cards. Definitely one of my all time favorites is the lovely little Bijou Joker (shown above) asking “Have you seen The Queen of Hearts?” - no doubt a play from the late 1890’s. I got this a few years ago at one of our conventions from a member who reluctantly parted with it. I hope he has had no regrets as I certainly treasure it! |
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| The first group below all feature Bicycle back cards and there seem to be a great many of these neat cards that do show these favorites. We have seen them with many different themes. |
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| The second group manufactured by the New York Consolidated Card Company share the common Angel back. The first is a calendar from 1898 featuring an advertisement for J.R Hawley’s Stationary and News Depot. The second is a nonsensical Composition on a Pair of Pants, the third, a 1904 schedule for both the American and National Baseball leagues in St. Louis and the last, a great throughout card for the magician Howard Thurston. |
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W. Suydam appeared to be in the business of selling gambling tools some of which are, I am sure, tools used for cheating. It comes with this NYCC back and is a very collectible card for those interested in the gambling side of card collecting.
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The next item with the common Bee back has red printing. It is “The Great Drawing Card for ‘The Innocent Cheat”, again, obviously a play |
The last card is probably a very much earlier NYCC card although the back is not familiar to me. It is a great advertisement for The Great Western Hotel in Philadelphia. It is a traveling men’s home and has much info for this establishment printed on it. I love Bar, Segars and Pool Room attached! |
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I plan to do a follow-up on these cards, as we own others by different makers. Please send me scans of cards that you might have as we would love to see more of these small bits of history on playing cards.
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