What a cool concept! Released last year by Vanishing Inc, The World Tour Deck Set is a presentation “trunk” of five bespoke packs of playing cards, each highlighting a different country and culture from the turn of the last century. The World Tour Deck Set is presented in a miniature travel trunk, replete with decals from the far-off places the cards have traveled to. A compass in a gorgeous wooden housing, a number of ephemera items are also included in the carrying trunk.
According to the product description, the World Tour Deck Set is more than just a trunk with playing cards. It’s a story about the Great Ezra, a turn-of-the-century magician, traveling around the globe and sending these decks back to you, each one with a note. To help immerse you in the spirit of the turn of the century, all the ephemera, from the handwritten notes written on railcar stationary, coasters to tickets, and hotel paper… are included.
The decks themselves are gorgeous, with iconography and hidden elements from the countries, culture, and time they come from. When all five decks are lined up, they create a map of the world highlighting the featured countries: France, Switzerland, Mongolia, China, and Egypt.
All decks are printed by the Expert Playing Card Company. Each deck has an extremely limited run of 1500 decks and are available separately at Vanishing Inc. The World Tour Set is available for a reasonable price of $100.
