William Detmold Limited

William Detmold Limited / W. Thomas & Co.

The “Zingara Gipsy Fortune-Telling” playing cards were also produced around 1910. Later brand names include “Kookaburra”, “The Dragon”, “New Bridge” and “Full Hand”.

At some point around 1922 William Detmold became Spicer & Detmold. Spicer & Detmold split up in 1948, with the Detmold part becoming Detmold Packaging (boxes, packaging and the like, and still going today) whilst Spicers (Australia) took the playing card business.

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1905 William Detmold Limited Illustrated Catalogue

1906/7 William Detmold Limited Illustrated Catalogue

A slightly later catalogue, c.1906/7, lists W. Thomas & Co’s Playing Card brands

Above: William Detmold Limited Illustrated Catalogues 1905 & 1906/7.

See also: William Detmold Limited Circular, 1899→

William Detmold kept boards with the faces printed ready for printing special designs or advertisements on the back  See examples→

Above: “Chateau Tanunda” Brandy advertising playing cards, date uncertain but possibly early 1890s-1910. The court cards are copies of the N.Y.C.C.Co courts of the time. Also known with four-colour courts.

Above: “Kookaburra” playing cards, c.1915-20. See also: “New Bridge”, “The Dragon” and “Full Hand” playing cards, c.1910-20. The sitting jester seen in these decks first appeared around the turn of the century. He appears in two and four-colour versions and was used until the early 1930s. The ace of spades was designed to mimic a national coat of arms.

Above: an ace of spades with handwritten cartomancy interpretations, plus four versions of a typical back design, c.1920.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: thanks to Jan Walls & Ken Lodge for their contributions to this page.