De Land’s Nifty playing cards
De Land’s Nifty playing cards published by S. S. Adams Co, c.1930.
De Land’s Nifty playing cards published by S. S. Adams Co, c.1930. Theodore L. De Land Jr. (1873-1931) was an early pioneer in the use of marked and preordered card decks. Secret markings on the backs of otherwise perfectly normal cards enabled anyone to perform mysterious magical tricks with minimal knowledge of sleight of hand. He sold his card business to S. S. Adams in 1918 who then proceeded to re-publish five styles of De Land’s cards until around 1940. This example uses the clock system of back markings, the second clock from top-left is the key.
Above: De Land’s Nifty playing cards published by S. S. Adams Co, c.1930, with baseball ace of spades and specially marked backs. 52 cards + joker + instruction leaflet in box. According to the Hochman Encyclopedia the court cards were re-designed in a quirky style by Adams and decks issued after 1925 had the title omitted from the ace of spades when the baseball design was introduced.
REFERENCES
Dawson, Tom & Judy: The Hochman Encyclopedia of American Playing Cards, U.S. Games Systems Inc., 2000 [page 301].
By Simon Wintle
Member since February 01, 1996
I am the founder of The World of Playing Cards (est. 1996), a website dedicated to the history, artistry and cultural significance of playing cards and tarot. Over the years I have researched various areas of the subject, acquired and traded collections and contributed as a committee member of the IPCS and graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal. Having lived in Chile, England, Wales, and now Spain, these experiences have shaped my work and passion for playing cards. Amongst my achievements is producing a limited-edition replica of a 17th-century English pack using woodblocks and stencils—a labour of love. Today, the World of Playing Cards is a global collaborative project, with my son Adam serving as the technical driving force behind its development. His innovative efforts have helped shape the site into the thriving hub it is today. You are warmly invited to become a contributor and share your enthusiasm.
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