Fishing for Compliments

Published February 10, 2023 Updated February 10, 2023

‘Fishing for Compliments’ playing cards created by Pixel Initiative, illustrated by Stacey Jay Kelly.

2014 United Kingdom Legends Stacey Jay Kelly Nature & Environment

Twelve different British freshwater fish are celebrated in this pack illustrated by Stacey Jay Kelly. Stacey is probably best known as the designer of the WCMPC Installation packs since 2017. Using a limited range of colours in her double-ended designs, she has put the emphasis on the scales, fins and individual skin texture of each fish, all this against a lined background. Pairs of fish-hooks make up the central “A”s on the Aces. The same designs are used in each suit, except for the Ace of Spades which is more highly decorated than the other Aces. The card values are displayed in two corners – in white on black for the black suits, and in white on reddish pink for the red suits. Each Joker shows a couple of old boots. See the box

‘Fishing for Compliments’ playing cards created by Pixel Initiative, with illustrations by Stacey Jay Kelly ‘Fishing for Compliments’ playing cards created by Pixel Initiative, with illustrations by Stacey Jay Kelly

Above: ‘Fishing for Compliments’ playing cards created by Pixel Initiative, with illustrations by Stacey Jay Kelly, manufactured and distributed by LEGENDS Playing Cards Company, 2014. 52 cards + 2 Jokers in tuck box. Size: 63 x 88 mm. The box has a vague sheen, as you might get from fish skin.

avatar
597 Articles

By Roddy Somerville

Member since May 31, 2022

Roddy started collecting stamps on his 8th birthday. In 1977 he joined the newly formed playing-card department at Stanley Gibbons in London before setting up his own business in Edinburgh four years later. His collecting interests include playing cards, postcards, stamps (especially playing cards on stamps) and sugar wrappers. He is a Past President of the Scottish Philatelic Society, a former Chairman of the IPCS, a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards and Curator of the WCMPC’s collection of playing cards. He lives near Toulouse in France.

Related Articles

2008 Ben 10 playing cards

Ben 10 playing cards

Characters from the American animated television science fantasy series Ben 10.

1978 Doctor Who Trump Card Game

Doctor Who Trump Card Game

Game for two players in which Doctor Who and the Legendary Legion join battle with the Alien Hordes....

1992 Disney’s Aladdin playing cards

Disney’s Aladdin playing cards

Characters from the 1992 Disney film Aladdin.

2024 La Réussite (Sébastien Féraut)

La Réussite (Sébastien Féraut)

Sébastien Féraut’s designs inspired by the animal kingdom for a set promoting patience games.

2011 2011 Worshipful Company Pack

2011 Worshipful Company Pack

Celebrating the bicentenary of the birth of Charles Dickens, with characters adapted from drawings b...

1926 Jockey Club de Buenos Aires

Jockey Club de Buenos Aires

Spanish-suited pack by Chas Goodall & Son Ltd for the Jockey Club, Buenos Aires.

New interest in old games

New interest in old games

Games once fashionable are now eclipsed by quicker gratifications.

1999 Polygo™

Polygo™

Cards of irregular, four-sided shape for playing word and colour games as well as more traditional o...

1995 Treasures from the Bodleian Library

Treasures from the Bodleian Library

Rare books, manuscripts, music scores, portraits, maps, gospels, chronicles and other valuable artef...

1863 Victorian grocer’s scale plate

Victorian grocer’s scale plate

Large flat plate decorated with highly coloured English cards and royal arms.

2024 Queen of Arts

Queen of Arts

A wide variety of women artists celebrated on cards with illustrations by Laura Callaghan.

1990 The Glasgow Pack

The Glasgow Pack

Issued to celebrate Glasgow’s reign as European City of Culture in 1990, with city views and works o...

2018 Cathedrals, Abbeys & Minsters playing cards

Cathedrals, Abbeys & Minsters playing cards

54 pictures of different famous cathedrals, abbeys and minsters in England and Wales.

2018 Christmas Carols

Christmas Carols

Christmas Carols playing cards illustrated by Stuart Dilks

1798 Pam is the Knave of Clubs

Pam is the Knave of Clubs

Playing cards as metaphors in 18th century art - from fate, chance and social hierarchy t...

1920 Question and Answer Games

Question and Answer Games

A card game called “Impertinent Questions and Pertinent Answers” was launched in the early 1920s by ...