Series I. American Playing Cards (1824- )
Scope and Contents note
Series I spans the period from 1824 onward. The decks were originally organized by date, with undated decks first, and alphabetically within each year. Decks range from standard and souvenir to those depicting historical figures, or issued for charades. Those added after the collections arrangement in 2002 have been given consecutive numbers.
Notable cards include the rare "M.V. Card," or the Murphy Varnish transformation and promotional pack from 1883. The "Union Playing Cards" from 1862 are also rare and are notable for the patriotic suit signs: eagles, stars, shields and flags. Kings and Jacks in this deck are representations of Union colonels and Queens are depicted as Liberty. The "Norwood 85" pack is also rare, although it was published by the U.S. Playing Card Co, a commercial card publisher. The pack was issued in 1900 in honor of the new millenium and U.S. Playing Card Co.'s new factory in Norwood, Ohio. Shortly after issue, the entire printing was withdrawn, probably due to the potentially risque back design of Cupid and Psyche in embrace. Few other known copies of this deck exist. The "Game of Poke" is a deck of cards hand drawn in an American mining camp.
Other cards in this series include charade cards and political cards. "PIT-Bull and Bear Edition" is a commodities exchange game in which different commodities appear on each card. "Votes for Women" was issued by the National Woman Suffrage Publishing Co., Inc. of New York in 1919. The four Spanish American War decks (billed as a "Game of factual questions") are part of a larger "Starry Flag Series." A "Mexican American War" deck includes generals of that war shown as Kings. "Columbian Exposition" cards each show an exposition building. This series also includes game counters for keeping track of card games and "Salesman's samples" from The New York Consolidated Card Co. in New York; one each of many kinds of cards for sale.
Creators of decks in this series include W. and S.B. Ives of Salem, Mass.; the United States Playing Card Company; McLoughlin Bros.; Anson D.F. Randolph of New York; Chas. E.Carryl for Tiffany & Co.; A. Dougherty for Murphy & Co. Varnish Makers; and Parker Brothers, Inc. of Salem, Mass.