Pyramid P.C.C.
The company introduced a number of standard brands until it was absorbed into U.S.P.C.C. and its affiliates, and finally dissolved in 1933.
Pyramid Playing Card Company was founded in Brooklyn, New York, in 1920. They successfully introduced a number of standard brands (Winner, Pyramid Special, Mutual, Home Run, Iris, Peter Pan, Blue Nile, Blue Star, Princess, Umpire & Sunbeam) until the company was absorbed into U.S.P.C.C. and its affiliates, and finally dissolved in 1933. The imagery of pyramids and sphinxes on the Aces of Spades, Joker and boxes is believed to have stemmed from the fact that the original founders of the company may have had Egyptian origins.
Above: 'Pyramid Special' playing cards, c.1920. The deck has a special Ace naming the brand and the standard Pyramid Joker. The box shows the address of the company,
REFERENCES
Dawson, Tom & Judy: The Hochman Encyclopedia of American Playing Cards, U.S. Games Systems Inc., 2000
All images on this page are from the collection of Rod Starling, author of "The Art and Pleasures of Playing Cards".
• See also: Kismet Temple, 1923.
By Rod Starling (1936-2023)
Member since January 09, 2013
Rod Starling was one of the founding members of the 52 Plus Joker card collectors club. He authored many articles for the club's quarterly newsletter, Clear the Decks. His collection encompasses both foreign and American decks. Rod also authored a book titled The Art and Pleasures of Playing Cards.
Related Articles
Rap Rummy
Rap Rummy made by Parker Brothers in 1926, only 4 years after the discovery of King Tutankhamen’s to...
German Travel Cards
A travel-themed educational deck helping American tourists visiting Germany.
Can You Believe Your Eyes?
“Can You Believe Your Eyes?” playing cards featuring visual illusions & other oddities.
Get Decked
Black and white cartoons devised by Sam Wagner with help from artist Lindsay Bevington.
Beowulf
Jackson Robinson's Beowulf playing card deck inspired by the Old English pagan poem.
Keith Haring playing cards
Energetic graffiti images by the American artist Keith Haring.
The Tarot of Meditation – Yeager Tarot
Marty Yeager’s original Tarot of Meditation from 1975, republished later by U.S. Games Systems, Inc....
Adobe Deck
The first digitally-produced deck of cards.
Seminole Wars deck
Seminole Wars deck by J. Y. Humphreys, Philadelphia, c.1819.
The UCR Deck
Giant-size cards designed by Thomas Sanders to advertise courses and facilities at UCR.
Fredericks & Mae playing cards
A rainbow pack from the design team of Fredericks & Mae and Benjamin English.
Red Hat Society playing cards
Society that encourages women in their quest to get the most out of life.
Mountain Dream Tarot
Groundbreaking Tarot created by Bea Nettles, using photographs and photo montage.
Junior Playing Cards
Child-friendly versions of standard English pattern cards designed by Louie Mantia, Jr.
Last Call Cats playing cards
Bar-crawling cats, designed by artists Arna Miller and Ravi Zupa.
Covered bridges playing cards
Historical covered bridges with photography by Bill Miller, 2006.
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 28 days
