Review: Madison Dealers (Erdnase Green) Playing Cards

This review will feature the Madison Dealers Erdnase Green Playing Cards. Review taken from the archive of TuckCase.

Released by Ellusionist.com, the Madison Dealers are of Daniel Madison, popular card magician and illusionist.  Madison had these cards "printed to [his] specifications"  from the design right down to the paper stock and finish. These cards come in a common unlimited Erdnase green and a rare Scarlet red. In order to obtain the Scarlet deck one must purchase a brick of the Erdnase. The cards are not your typical playing cards as Daniel implemented a built in marking system for card hustlers to use for their advantage. It is not known whether or not these cards were printed by USPCC but it is highly speculated.



The specs:

Name: Madison Dealers - Erdnase Green
Company: Ellusionist
Release Date: June 24th, 2013
Stock: Casino Bee (Speculated)
Finish: Magic Finish (Speculated)
Colors: Erdnase Green (Also comes in Scarlet Red)
Face: Standard
Size: Poker

The tuck case design is all white with a card finish.The entire case design is rather minimalist with only the name of the cards plus "Luxury Playing Cards" and Madison's logo on the front in Erdnase green, which is the same color used on S. W. Erdnase 'Expert At The Card Table' first edition. The back design is on the box's back and "Madison Dealers" is written across the top flap. Extremely simple, extremely luxurious. An interesting design element that was added to the case is the "JL" on one inside side flap, which was done in respect to the artist of the cards -  Jeff Lianza. Jeff is also a good friend of Daniel's and makes an appearance in the card deck as the King of Spades.

The back design is a two way borderless design in Erdnase green that features Madison's logo repeated. This is reminiscent of the early house casino decks that were used around the time Erdnase's book was first published - 1902. Most people nowadays know borderless to be the Bee brand of cards. The back design also includes the special marking system that Daniel developed. Most marked decks comes at a hefty price tag but these are offered at normal cost of a custom deck (currently on Ellusionist.com for $6.99).

For the spectator, if they look at the back design enough, it will play tricks on them as the small repeating pattern tends to make the brain do odd things. The marking system in that sense is undetectable. However, as the card magician once you train your eyes where to look for the markings, the back design becomes much less confusing. If you struggle with sight and your vision is poor, this marking system may cause you trouble as the markings are only visible within arms reach. Holding this deck further away causes more problems so trying to use these cards to cheat in a poker game won't be of use.  According to the instruction video, the point of these cards were to be held close up - hence, being called "dealers."

Editors note: I played with this deck for a couple of hours after learning the marking system and was able to guess cards just by glancing at the back. My suggestion is to get used to finding/looking at the markings without giving yourself up first and then memorize the suits. Finally, once you know the suits, tackle the numbers and court cards. I learned if you break it up into three steps, instead of trying to get it all at once, you will get the system much quicker.  

The deck comes with a standard 52 plus 2 jokers, a double back and an ad card. The jokers feature a dead crow, which is extremely morbid for this deck of cards. Considering the deck says "Luxury Playing Cards" on the front of the box, anything to do with death and blood is far from luxury. The crows are not new to Madison's design as his last deck of cards the Rounders also featured them. Despite the morbid Joker design, a 3 of clubs reveal is built into the legs of the dead crow on one of the Joker cards. This is very undetectable unless you are really looking for it or have been told it is there. The Jokers also are not part of the marking system. If you plan on using the marking system it is best you take the Jokers out.

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The Ace of Spades follows the "Luxury" theme by creating an ace out of Madison's logo. The court cards all have a custom Anglo-American style design. Each court features someone from Daniel's life, whether it be another magician or good friend. Daniel is actually featured on the King of Diamonds, which also has a 9 of Clubs reveal.  The Rounders also used people from Daniel's life as well. The use of real life people in a deck of cards is quite interesting and makes these cards all that more personal.

The number cards are standard with no differences other than a slightly darker red ink used on the hearts and diamond.

The Madison Dealers are extremely durable. Used for over 24 hours for practicing and breaking them in, the cards still look, feel and perform like brand new. The cards are a bit stiff as shuffling will require some hand strength initially. Over time that does not become a problem. Fanning is extremely easy as no clumping of the cards occurs. They are almost too smooth so be mindful of that as they do have a tendency to slip away from your fingers.

Notes on the Madison Dealers:

• Brought to us by Daniel Madison and Ellusionist, who also brought us the Madison Rounders.


• This deck was speculated to be the Madison Red Rounders.


• The factory of this deck is not given out. It is speculated that USPCC printed this. However, USPCC is not mentioned anywhere on the deck or in any of the marketing material.


• Daniel Madison also brought the Madison Players to market with Theory 11.

Final Assessment: The Madison Dealers are an extremely useful and versatile deck of playing cards. Although they are not a designer deck where you will see a lot of depth and color, they are certainly a hustler's deck with many tools for performing tricks. This deck has two reveals and a marking system that can all be used in a lot of different tricks.  This deck is recommended for the magician who doesn't want to spend time marking his/her own deck. It is also for the magician who doesn't want to pay double the price for a marked deck. The Scarlet red version of this deck is something for all collectors to track down as there were only a limited amount made available.

Score: 9.5/10

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Review: INFINITY Playing Cards by Ellusionist

This review will feature the INFINITY Playing cards and is taken from the archive of TuckCase. One of the coolest decks I ever laid eyes on is the INFINITY Series deck by Ellusionist, which was designed by the famous Lee Mckenzie. A lot of work went into this deck to get it this cool. Here are the details from Ellusionist's website:

One of the most ambitious decks of cards in Ellusionist history, we set out to create the most unique deck of playing cards ever created. 

The tuck box of the Infinity deck overflows with a richness of design that US Playing card originally said, "Cannot be accomplished." So, we went to work directly with their pressmen, their special effects experts, research & development departments, working in unison to finally land upon a creation that is worth of notoriety in the world of playing cards. It is important to note that only First Edition Infinity Decks had the embossed tuck boxes. The decks available now are 2nd Editions and the box is NOT embossed.

The specs:

Name: INFINITY
Company: Ellusionist
Release Date: November 22nd, 2011
Stock: Bee Casino grade stock
Finish:  Performance Coating/Magic finish
Colors: Black, white, metallic red, metallic silver, metallic gold, turquoise
Face: Standard
Size: Poker

Most people will be interested in learning the difference between the two editions of this deck. The only difference between the 1st edition and the 2nd is the embossing on the tuck case. It is unfortunate that the 2nd edition doesn't have embossing but that is what makes it the second edition. If you can get your hands on the 1st edition you will have everything this deck has to offer. If you lose a card in the first deck or have to rip it or write on it for a certain magic routine, no need to fear the cards in the 2nd edition will work as replacements.

INFINITY comes with 56 cards in total - the complete 52, two Jokers, an ad card and a double back. The backs of the cards are duel-directional so it doesn't matter which way you hold them. There is a reveal on one of the Jokers that makes this deck really useful for a lot of different card tricks. The cards feature Ellusionist's Performance Coating finish that is actually superior when compared to Bicycle's Standard Air Cushion finish. The Performance Coating makes card fans, spreads and overall handling a breeze. INFINITY also uses Bee Casino Grade Stock which makes these cards extremely durable and last longer than your standard Bicycle deck.  Magicians and card players will be pleased with this deck's longevity.

Everything about the INFINITY deck design is custom - the colors, tuck case, the Jokers, court cards and even the pips! The design is extremely intricate with metallic inks that make even the pips pop. The more I look at this deck the more I find in its design. The back design features deep shadows, swirling line work and the tiniest text that spirals the word INFINITY into the deepest parts of the design creating a three-dimensional effect that you will just get lost in. Although Ellusionist card decks are made with the magician in mind, these cards will make any fan of design drool.

The custom pip design is a unique take on the hearts, spades, clubs and diamonds. The court cards are not only a change in color but the patterns in their dress have all been changed. However, the suicide king, one-eyed jack and the man with the ax are all present in their traditional poses. Often times when decks go completely custom the designer takes the liberty of switching up those cards by removing those traditional elements.  Thankfully that is not the case with the INFINITY deck.



The Ace of Spades is somewhat abstract, which looks like a smokescreen taking the shape of the spade with no real line work. It is odd that the Ace of Spades has this abstract look considering the rest of the deck has confident line work throughout.

The Joker cards are my favorite cards in this deck. They feature a fully bearded "Old Man Time" type figure that truly takes on the concept of infinity. They also have many different design elements that will take you by surprise. As stated previously, one of the Jokers features a cool reveal that goes unnoticed unless you are really looking for it. There is no guarantee on this deck as it is not a USPCC brand issued deck but a 3rd party deck. Despite holding their products to the highest quality, Ellusionist does not have a guarantee on their decks.

Notes on the Infinity Series Deck:

• Took USPCC and Ellusionist about 2 years to bring this deck to life.


• Fully custom intricate design.


• Reveal included on one of the Jokers.


• 2nd Edition decks do not have embossing on the tuck case.


• The designer of this deck also worked on other decks for Ellusionist including Artifice and Artifice Arcane.

Final Assessment: The INFINITY Series Playing Card deck is the bee's knees! Although totally custom the elements of a traditional deck all remain intact. The Ace of Spades is it's only real downfall in terms of design but beyond that it is hard to find fault. As most Ellusionist decks have great handling, this deck is perfect for their target market of magicians. Casual card players will enjoy this deck as well but will be instantly taken for the design. This deck runs about $8 on the Ellusionist website so it might be a bit pricey if you are only going to use them to play cards every other weekend. However, considering the difficulty it took to bring this deck to market it is a must have for a collector and it wouldn't be out of this world if it was priced for double the amount. If you do pick up this deck you might be tempted not to play with it because of how nice it looks. Then again, you could just pick up more than one!

Score: 9.7/10

Review: Artisan Playing Cards by Theory 11

This review will feature both the White Artisan Playing Cards and the Black Artisan Playing cards. Review taken from the archive of TuckCase.

Designed by South African Designer Simon Frouws, Theory 11's Artisan Playing Cards are the epitome of elegance. Initially released in 2012 as a single Black Edition Artisan deck, Theory 11 just released the second (final?) deck of the series, the White Edition Artisan Playing Cards.

The specs:

Name: Theory 11 Black Edition Artisan Playing Cards/White Edition Artisan
Company: Theory 11
Release Date: November 23, 2012/May 10, 2013
Stock: FSC-certified stock
Finish:  Eco Finish
Colors: Black, Gold, Deep red, White
Face: Standard
Size: Poker

Despite being distributed by a company that focuses on magic and performance, the description and the background given out about these cards focuses on "environmentally friendly" lingo. This is not a bad thing as Theory 11 does this with a lot of their decks that are quality performing products but I would appreciate more info about the finish and actual stock used. So far all we are told by Theory 11 is the following:

 "...these premium, luxury playing cards feature elegant gold foil hot stamped onto ultra-lux black paper derived from sustainable forests....produced at The United States Playing Card Company using FSC-certified papers derived from sustainable forests, vegetable-based inks and starch-based laminates. The result is a durable finish that respects the environment." 

We know one thing, these are the cards for the environmentally conscious magician or card player.

Most will wonder what the main differences are between the Black Edition Artisan and the White Edition Artisan. The obvious difference in these cards is the main color template - black and white. Beyond that, the White Edition cards use a metallic gold ink in their cards while the Black Edition uses more of a yellow gold.

Surprisingly, I would have thought the Black Edition would have the darker gold/metallic gold and the White Edition would have the white gold ink to match their theme of light or dark. I do, however, like the light to dark/dark to light contrast that the colors add to the decks. The designs are exactly the same other than that.

The decks come with 56 cards. The two additional cards are an ad card and a double back. The  Jokers are not differentiated at all with no reveal added anywhere on the decks. The overall design of the Artisan Playing Cards is impeccable. It is not too showy or glitzy, which is great because something over the top can tend to make the whole project look gaudy. And it is by far from a minimalist design. Both decks have an equal balance of style through the back design, face cards, and Jokers. The first editions of both the White and Black Edition Artisan Playing Cards come with a matte finish with gold (white) and gold/white embossing (black) on the tuck cases.

The duel-directional or two way back design features a white border on both decks with an overall design that is reminiscent of an American money note. Defined patterned borders, emblems and Latin phrases. The centerpiece of the back design is an intertwined G and A inside an emblem that I suppose stands for Artisan and Guild, which compliments the phrase "The Guild of Artisans." I do not believe this is for any particular group but more of a general homage to all artists - magicians included.

In the photo above featuring the Ace of Spades there is an added design element that is included on both of these decks that display the Edition Number or the month the decks were printed. I like this element because it is an obvious way of letting the deck holder know what edition they have and it is an element that most playing cards don't have. First edition Black decks will have 11/12 and first edition White decks will have 04-13. It is interesting to note the difference in the way the date is displayed. The design of the actual Ace of Spades takes the same elements of the back design inside a large spade. Design consistency is played out perfectly here.
The Joker features the "Jolly Joker" that appears to be juggling the four suits within a tight and circular emblem/logo. It is unfortunate the Jokers feature no reveal or any differentiation. It would have been cool to see more done with the "Jolly Joker" character. Instead of an emblem, one Joker could have been presented outside an emblem in a traditional pose similar to the Bicycle Standard 808 Joker. Given this deck is heavy on paying homage to design and artistry it is slightly disappointing they underutilized the second Joker.

Face Cards all follow the Standard playing card design but integrate the deep reds, golds, black and white color palette used in the Joker cards above. Number cards are similar to a Standard deck as well but use deeper reds for the hearts and diamonds.

As far as performance goes they are not as slippery as the Performance Coating finish cards that Ellusionist features on their decks just to give a comparison  However, they perform, fan, spread, shuffle and cut nicely. The only hang up is that the edges are not as smooth as I would have hoped for. This is specifically concerning the White Edition Artisan where I can see where the machine cut the cards down from sheets to decks. It is very minor but noticeable. As far as durability goes they will last as long as any Bicycle Standard deck.
Notes on the Artisan Playing Cards:

+ The Black Edition Artisan Playing Cards were released in November 2012.

+ The White Edition Artisan Playing Cards were released in May 2013.

+ Despite the hype, these playing cards are not Limited Edition Playing Cards and will be available until further notice.

+ Designed by Simon Frouws.

+ Marketing focuses on environmentally friendly production instead of performance.

Final Assessment:

These cards are all design first and performance second. I think if magicians are looking for an incredibly designed deck of cards to show off with they can't lose with this deck. They have the same feel as a Bicycle Standard deck so if that is what you practice with these will feel natural in your hands. However, I would not recommend practicing with this deck in order to preserve the deck longer than a Standard deck of cards. Why waste such a beautiful deck on practice? With all that said, Theory 11 seems to write their descriptions with the gift buyer, collector and environmentally conscious person in mind. I do not know who they are targeting but it almost definitely doesn't seem like the magician or card player that focuses on durability and performance.

Final Score: 9.5/10 

Review: Theory 11 Rebels

The Theory 11 Rebels were designed by Shepard Fairey's StudioNumberONE. Shepard Fairey is the famous designer/artist who did the iconic Obama Hope poster as well as album art for many national recording artists. The Theory 11 Rebels were released on August 31, 2012. Review taken from the archive of TuckCase.

The Specs:

Name: Theory 11 Rebels
Company: Theory 11, Designed by StudioNumberONE
Release Date: August 31, 2012
Stock: FSC-certified stock
Finish:  Eco Finish
Colors: Black, Metallic Silver, Gold, White, Red
Face: Standard
Size: Poker

The tuck case is truly a work of art. The design is filled with iconic and symbolic imagery that is bordered by embossed metallic silver ink. The US capital building is the centerpiece of the two way back design as a two headed eagle, which is used throughout history on flags and other historical pieces, is the main piece for the front of the tuck case. I like the contrast between the name "Rebels" and the heavy imagery that often depicts the State or unity. Although it seems to be contrary, Theory 11's website states the following:

The back design proudly features the United States Capitol Building, a timeless symbol of our nation’s united spirit of independence.  

With that, the theme of this deck can be interpreted in many ways as it is quite mysterious as to why the elements were chosen. The deck can be saying that the US is a rebel as in independent country or it could be paying homage to the way our founding fathers rebelled in history to secure the nation's independence or it can be saying something else. The up-for-grabs interpretation definitely adds to the deck's appeal.

Once you open the tuck case, you are instantly greeted with a red inside. This is a nice change as most decks usually do not do much with the inside of the tuck case.

The deck is a standard 52 deck with 2 Jokers, one double back and an ad card. The two jokers do not offer any differentiation or secret reveal. I am surprised there is no reveal as this deck seems like it would offer something like that given its use of iconic symbols throughout. The Jokers  feature silhouettes of dancing but symmetrical jokers. Despite taking up most of the cards, the joker design is very light. The design is a nice fit in a deck that comes with so many strong objects.

The Ace of Spades is one of my favorite Ace of Spades ever, as it is a huge spade with the double headed eagle in the middle. This iconic image within another iconic image is extremely powerful. I do not think I have ever seen a stronger Ace of Spades design.

The court and number cards are traditional and predominately feature heavy and dark gold, red and navy inks. Given the metallic silver used on the tuck case, I am surprised the court cards did not feature colder colors.  Although I am surprised, it is certainly not a bad thing. To me the contrast shows just how much this deck "rebels" against the mind as you think you will get one thing but you end up getting another.

Aside from design, this deck performs like the majority of the Theory 11 decks. Fanning is quick and slippery but provides enough grip to keep control. Durability is also at the max. This deck can be shuffled, fanned, dealt and dealt again without losing form and snap.

Notes on the Theory 11 Rebels Playing Cards:

• Designed by StudioNumberONE, which is owned by Shepard Fairey.


• Heavy contrasting elements.


• Features the latin phrase, Et Lux In Tenebris Lucet,  which means "And light shines in the darkness" on the back design and tuck case.

Final Assessment: The Theory 11 Rebels are most definitely in my top 5 favorite playing card decks. The iconic imagery exemplifies strength, confidence and power. All three feelings and qualities that are needed to perform under pressure, whether it be in close proximity to a small group or in front of a huge auditorium in front of hundreds. The Rebels are the epitome of it's name by utilizing contrasting colors and statist imagery. The only thing this deck doesn't rebel against is the handler's hands.

Final score: 9.7 

Review: The Ultimate Deck by Stranger & Stranger

The Ultimate Deck came out around the 2012 holiday season in a collaboration between the Buck twins and packaging design firm, Stranger & Stranger. The deck was created as a way for Stranger & Stranger to celebrate the 2012 work year as it was a pivotal year in new package design. The deck took over a year to produce as every single playing card in the deck contains a completely different custom design edge to to edge. Dubbed the "most expensive deck ever produced", The Ultimate Deck retails at a around $25 a pop.

The Specs:

Name: The Ultimate Deck
Company: Stanger & Stranger/Dan and Dave
Release Date: January 2013
Stock: Casino Bee
Finish: Air Cushion Finish
Colors: Multiple
Face: Standard
Size: Poker

The tuck case comes with a classic black matte finish with glossy embossing. It features nostalgic design elements that give the impression of holding an ancient book. The centerpiece is a glossy silver embossed two-way "Stranger" given the effect to create the impression of it being a two-way design. The design, however, is not a two-way design. Underneath the centerpiece on both ends, the one-way design is made apparent. When turned one way it reads "Ultimate Deck" but when turned the other way it reads "Stranger & Stranger." Each side of the embossed centerpiece either reads, "NYC" or "LTN" as well.

The tuck case features a stamp-like seal that is reminiscent of very early decks printed by The United States Playing Card Company. The stamp is totally vintage but it fits in perfectly with the overall concept. The stamp reads "1994 Dead Man's Hand" which is the year the company formed.

The tuck case is a very strong element of the entire deck. It might be the strongest given the amount of detail that goes into it with the gloss on matte finish complete with embossing. The design of the tuck is unforgettable as the two way illusion is created without even being a true two-way. The dark but vintage feel that dresses the entire box sucks you in to a world of mystery just begging you to open the deck to explore its many caves.

Once you break through the stamp seal, you will be greeted with 56 completely custom designed playing cards. It is clear from the start that The Ultimate Deck is 100% an art deck and does not lend itself to be played with. Some of the designs are too over the top and get in the way of actual play. Not to mention the price point of this deck is far beyond something you'd want to dirty your hands on.

Below is an example where the numbers and indices get lost in the artwork: the King of Spades ....or "King of Bulls." The only way we know this is the King of Spades is because the other Kings have been accounted for.

The deck comes with one gaff card and an ad card. Interestingly enough, the gaff card is a "create your own card" which can be used to create any of the other cards in the deck. Since this deck will most likely not enter play, this gaff card somewhat falls flat.

The back design is a flat version of the art on the tuck case. Designed to look two-way at a glance, the back design is most definitely one way as mentioned earlier about the tuck.

Without detailing every card in the deck, we thought we would pull out some notable cards and discuss their place in the deck.

The Ace Of Spades is the arch of any deck but when it comes to The Ultimate Deck, the AoS just becomes another card in the deck. It doesn't seem like Stranger & Stranger gave any special treatment to some of the better known cards in a deck. In fact, the Seven of Clubs got the same amount of effort as the AoS. The AoS features a spade shaped tree complete with a serpent and a snake. In other words, the AoS features The Tree Of Knowledge of Good and Evil. The biblical theme in the AoS shows the depth in The Ultimate Deck. Each card has a story and opens up great possibilities when discussing or learning about the art.

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While the tree is the focal point with it's bold red and green coloring, the card is complete with a weathered paper look almost as if it was taken out of the pages of an old book.

Creepy designs
Stranger & Stranger did not skimp on creepy. In fact, a lot of the cards in this deck are creepy pieces of art. Beautiful but creepy. With that said, the designers nailed the Suicide King. One of the most mysterious cards in a deck of 52 has got to be the King of Hearts. Was the King stabbing himself or was he being stabbed? Stranger & Stranger answered the former. Complete with bleeding hearts, macabre and a skeleton monarch; The Ultimate Deck's King of Hearts takes no prisoners and has no fear completing a story that has long been discussed.

Funny designs
In order to contrast, Stranger & Stranger knew they couldn't just feature all creepy art so they added a little bit of funny. The King of Clubs depicts a King scolding a leprechaun. Let the chuckles begin. For starters, Leprechauns are funny and mystical beings. When they are getting in trouble by bearded monarchs, the scene is just hilarious.

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Cute designs
Cute is probably the last adjective we would use to describe The Ultimate Deck but they managed to stuff it in. The Eight Of Hearts shows a little boy giving a little girl a valentine. Love is in the air as eight hearts float above the basket.

Given the small sample above, it is very clear that Stranger & Stranger created a deck that has a huge amount of artistic variety. The art on the cards features all different styles, themes and nothing is redundant or used more than once including the Jokers. It makes sense considering the amount and variety of product packaging they put out each year. The only thing consistent about The Ultimate Deck is that the artwork is great. As the artwork shines, it would have been the icing on the cake if the pips, numbers and indices were a bit more consistent throughout the deck. Let the artwork fly freely but don't make the pips and indices suffer in the process.

With that, we will not reveal or detail any more of the cards in this deck. Part of an art deck is so that is can be admired by the individual holder and we would like to respect that by only showing the few cards that were seen above.

Because this deck is an art deck, we did not handle it or break it in. We felt that after reviewing the cards and designs that the deck was not meant to be played with as much as it was meant to be admired.

Notes on The Ultimate Deck:

+ It is not clear how many designers worked on this deck but from the variety it looks as if the entire team was on board.
+ Stranger & Stranger primarily works on alcohol packaging but the ad card mentions that this project came to be to celebrate their expansion into other packaging markets.
+ Dan and Dave distribute The Ultimate Deck.
+ The deck is being sold on ebay for above the normal asking price.

Final Assessment: 
The artwork is incredible. They have that in the bag. They also added some of the history of playing cards into their designs, which was nice to know they didn't neglect it. The work can be admired from more than just playing card fans. In fact, it is probably admired more by those that don't handle cards. Collectors, fan's of product packaging, marketers, Stranger & Stranger fans will jump on this deck. Heck, this deck has the ability to turn people on to the world of playing cards. From there, we hit a wall. Art decks are fun and hip and should be on every card collector's shelf but other than that, this deck is going nowhere. On certain cards, the pip and indices look like afterthoughts or look muddled. This deck would shine if the "playing card" art was more apparent and consistent. If the suits were even recognizable, the deck might be playable making this deck practical and beautiful. However, fanning through the cards, we see zero consistencies where there should be consistencies. Kudos to Stranger & Stranger on creating a work of art but next time they should pay attention to what makes a playing card, a playing card.

Final Score: 8.5/10

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News: Bicycle Monster Montage Playing Cards Remastered

Bicycle Monster Montage Playing Cards debuted on Kickstarter in February 2014 but the project was taken down before it could reach funding. Over the past couple of months, the project was completely overhauled and given a brand new look and feel. Carlos Bercini reworked the entire color palette and new rewards have been added. The project originally launched with a poster and t-shirt add-on but with this upcoming launch, dice and a coin have been added as previous backers requested.

The project will launch at 12pm Est on Saturday May 10.

Here is a look at the new colors and rewards:

News: Bicycle Monster Montage Playing Card Project Launches on Kickstarter

It has been an interesting few months here with Tuckcase.com. In fact, I haven't posted much and some of you may have wondered why? or where I went? I'll have you know I didn't go far. Over the past few months I have been meticulously working on my very own Bicycle playing card deck. The deck merges two of my favorite things - Playing cards and vintage monsters. The deck is called Bicycle Monster Montage and features the artwork of Carlos Bercini. Carlos has re-imagined and redesigned many classic monsters in this 100% custom and limited edition deck.

If funded the deck will only be printed once and never again. This also marks the launch of Uncrowned Playing Cards, which is a new playing card company focused on printing retro themed playing card decks.

The project will run for 30 days when it finishes up funding on Fri, Mar 14 2014. Click here to back the project! 

News: The Blue Crown Releases Crown Luxury Deck: Diamond Edition (Only 2500 Printed)

Tonight on 12/26 The Blue Crown released the next playing card deck in their Crown Luxury Series and it is limited to only 2,500 decks. The new deck, which is dubbed the Diamond Edition, was designed by Randy Butterfield and boasts a brilliant white, silver and gold color scheme. According the The Blue Crown, the "faces are a classic Arrco design with custom coloring on the court cards."  They also custom designed the Ace of Spades and Jokers.

With the release of the Luxury Diamond Edition, The Blue Crown has released an even more limited edition deck that they are calling handmade. According to The Blue Crown, "This special deck features a real metal plaque autographed by Alex Pandrea (The Blue Crown Founder) instead of the gold foil plaque found on the main Diamond deck. The Handmade deck also has a custom sticker seal, and comes inside a custom Pack Jacket, also rendered in brilliant white and gold with an autographed plaque."

News: Bicycle Monster Montage Playing Cards Coming In Late January to Kickstarter

In about a month's time, Artist Carlos Bercini and I will be launching a custom playing card project on Kickstarter.com. We have been designing a playing card deck for release in late January called Bicycle Monster Montage. The deck is inspired by vintage monster and horror movies from the first half of the 20th century. While most of the designs are not being released at this time, we have decided to tease the new project by creating a teaser or "movie" poster that incorporates the major themes of the deck.

Below you will also see only two of the court card designs that will be featured in the project - The Mummy and Frankenstein's monster. Two timeless monsters that are the epitome of the monster genre. Please keep your eyes out for more information on this project as it comes closer to the launch date in late January.

Card designs are subject to change. 

The launch of the deck will also launch Uncrowned Playing Cards, which will be an entity for custom playing card decks released by me, Scott Carey.

First Look: Bicycle Seven Seas Playing Cards Coming Soon to Kickstarter

Douglas Ian Koozer and Jason A. Kreiger, of Harrisburg, PA design firm Brain Vessel, are gearing up to release a brand new nautical themed playing card deck on Kickstarter called Bicycle Seven Seas. The deck project, which is currently being teased on Brain Vessel's Facebook page, will launch this winter and will also include custom coins and other reward items.

If funded it will be printed by The United States Playing Card Company.

Here is a sneak peek at the upcoming deck courtesy of Brain Vessel's Facebook page:

This is quite the change from the company's attempt at an unreleased deck that was first released on their Facebook page back in August. The deck was supposed to launch in September but never saw the light of day.

Emmanuel José Discusses Playing Card Design and Clipped Wings

Artist Emmanuel José, designer of the Curator Deck,  is somewhat of an  anomaly in the world of custom playing cards. Not only does he produce playing card decks in a style that is not often done but his art form is unlike standard graphic design. Instead of sitting down with a Wacom tablet and pen, Emmanuel works with X-Acto knives and scissors in an art form known as papercutting. To date Emmanuel has released one deck known as the Curator Deck and has two upcoming decks known as Clipped Wings and Sawdust.

Now after many days and nights working on his next release Clipped Wings, Emmanuel is ready to launch the card deck in early 2014 on Kickstarter with much anticipation from friends, fans and many playing card enthusiasts. Last week, Emmanuel announced that he would be launching the deck on Kickstarter, which is a departure from the way the Curator deck was released. So Tuckcase.com decided to contact Emmanuel to discuss his upcoming project, his decision to go with Kickstarter and to get a glimpse into the world of papercutting. Emmanuel agreed to talk with us and share his story. Enjoy!

Tuck Case: What is your design background?
Emmanuel: I have a bachelor’s degree in art from Davidson College, and I’ve been drawing since I was young. I also paint, and I like to shoot photography. I did some papercutting in elementary school and high school, but it wasn’t until college that I started to create series of papercut art.

Tuck Case: When and how did you decide you wanted to do a deck of cards?
Emmanuel: When I was a junior in college, I made court card paintings for a class. The models were fellow students that I photographed. My professor wasn’t a fan of those paintings, so I stopped that series and moved on to other subject matter.


Fast-forward over five years to late December 2010: I was working for a biopharmaceutical company, and I was creatively unfulfilled. I hadn't made art since graduating from college, and I’d always wanted to create a series based on playing cards. So I told myself that starting in the first week of 2011, I would make one card a week.

On Monday, January 3, 2011, I made my first papercut playing card.

Tuck Case: Can you explain what exactly a papercut deck is? How is it different from traditional graphic design?
Emmanuel: In a papercut deck, all the elements and imagery are cut out of paper. I draw everything by hand, and then I cut everything by hand. Pretty much the only difference from traditional graphic/digital design is technique since I am cutting out paper with X-Acto knives and scissors.

Tuck Case: Are you the first to design a deck using this papercut technique or style?
Emmanuel: To be honest, I don’t know. I’m certainly not the first to make a transformation deck though.

Tuck Case: Your first deck project, Curator, has already been released, can you describe your next two projects, Clipped Wings and Sawdust?
Emmanuel: Clipped Wings has a bird theme, and Sawdust has a circus theme. Many of the ideas I wrote down while I was making the Curator deck in 2011 were related to birds, and that became the groundwork for Clipped Wings the following year.

In May 2012, I decided my 2013 deck would have a circus theme. In September 2012, I saw the 1952 circus film The Greatest Show on Earth, and “Sawdust” stood out to me as the perfect name for the deck.

Tuck Case: Is there a particular reason you create transformation decks instead of a traditional decks of cards?
Emmanuel: I create transformation decks because it challenges me mentally and creatively. I tend to create art with some kind of twist or sense of humor, and transforming playing cards allow me to do that.

Tuck Case: It is known that the Curator deck was ripped off by a re-seller outside of the United States, have they been stopped and what have you done to protect your work going forward?
Emmanuel: I don’t know if they've been stopped since I still don’t know who is responsible. What I do know is that the counterfeit decks were first sold at a marketplace in Ufa, Russia, and that the images were stolen from my deviantArt.com profile. The Curator deck was registered with the US Copyright Office when this incident occurred, and I've continued to register copyright for my new work. To deter stealing, I now take photos of the cards at an angle and in uneven lighting.

Tuck Case: How did you get hooked up with House Of Playing Cards (HOPC) to release the Curator Deck?
Emmanuel: I joined the Aethercards.com cardistry forum in late 2011, and Don Boyer, one of the administrators, is a friend of Alex Pandrea and Kevin Reylek from House of Playing Cards. Don introduced my art to them, and in May 2012, I met Kevin in person since he is originally from North Carolina.

Tuck Case: Now since your first deck was released through HOPC, why the departure on your second deck to release it on your own through Kickstarter?
Emmanuel: Clipped Wings was originally going to be released by HOPC, and the deck was intended to be released in May or June of 2013. However, Alex kept pushing the release back for reasons I don't fully understand. Additionally, there were conflicting ideas on how to market and manage the deck. I'll always be grateful that HOPC released Curator, but I reached the point where I thought it would be best to produce Clipped Wings on my own, and I ended my contract with them.

Tuck Case: Do you have any particular artists or works of art you use for inspiration?
Emmanuel: Pop Artists such as Wayne Thiebaud and Roy Lichtenstein inspire me. I actually paid homage to Lichtenstein with the Curator 10 of diamonds. Realist painters such as Edward Hopper and Andrew Wyeth also inspire me. Keith Haring is another influential artist for me, and I also love the work of illustrators such as William Joyce, Molly Idle, Maurice Sendak, Eyvind Earle, Winsor McCay, and many more.

Tuck Case: Do you have any favorite playing card decks?
Emmanuel: Three decks that are near and dear to my heart are Tony Meeuwissen’s transformation deck The Key to the Kingdom, the Ukrainian deck of cards illustrated by Vladislav Erko, and the MAD Deck designed by Ozlem Olcer.


Tuck Case: A question I ask all interviews, do you have any advice for others looking to create a custom deck of cards?
Emmanuel: There’s one question all artists, designers, and creators should ask themselves: Am I passionate about this?

There are all kinds of decks created by people with different skills and talents. Despite the differences in these decks, people can tell which decks are labors of love, and which decks are not. No matter how skilled you are or what kind of resources you have, passion has to be your foundation.

News: Ellusionist Releases 60's Ad Era Inspired Pressers Playing Cards

After a weekend of Black Friday and Cyber Monday madness, Ellusionist released a new deck today that is inspired by the 1960's advertising era called Pressers Playing Cards. In fact, Ellusionist has gone as far as to say that the deck is "one of Don and Roger Sterling's favorite sets of playing cards" and "is the talk of Sterling Cooper." For those unaware, Sterling Cooper is the fictional advertising agency from the popular AMC show Mad Men.

Pressers were teased earlier in the Fall by members of the Ellusionist team but the deck was not released for sale until today with no prior "warning." The deck was first made available to Ellusionist's Black Club earlier this afternoon and then later released to the masses after the Black Club had first grabs.

According to Ellusionist, Pressers were printed on soft luxe paper. Printed by the United States Playing Card Company, the Pressers feature an antique look and simplistic design that "glides like air!"  It is not known if the Pressers are a limited or unlimited release.

Designers: Traction Gives an Inside Look into the Development of Bicycle Espionage Playing Cards

Bicycle® Espionage is an all-new deck that launched on December 1 for members of Bicycle®’s Club 808. It’s another deck by the team at Traction, so Tuckcase.com invited them to share more behind their process and about the deck. Enjoy!

The minute Traction knew this deck was a go, we had ideas for conveying secrecy in every element of the design along with a sense of the unexpected. Illustrators Emily Webb and Ronny Young returned to craft the aesthetic and character design for Bicycle® Espionage after the success of the Bicycle® Sideshow Freaks Deck.

“What’s great is that it’s not just a James Bond-style deck,” said Ronny. “It pulls from the entire spy genre over the last 50 years. It would've been easy to go after every 007 type, the women, the villains—licensing aside. But we wanted every kind of agent to have a shot.”

The element of secrecy is first evident in the tuck, which is all one color except for a slight variant in the embossed details. The minimal, clean design on the front makes it look even more classified. “I think the best part of the tuck is how you really have to pick it up and move it around to notice all the little details,” said Emily. And of course, the tuck opens to the side instead of to the top, as though it’s actually a cigarette case with built-in knockout gas, or a business card holder that doubles as a parachute.





The cards themselves are completely custom. Custom court cards, custom pips, custom back design. The backs are black with an 80% gray overlay, making them subtle and stylish nods to secrecy.

The court cards are an amalgamation of every genre of undercover agent; you’ll see everyone from a tuxedoed gentleman, to a ninja woman, to a mad scientist in the employ of an agent. “The art style on the court cards is definitely heavy on the shadows,” said Emily. “Same with the pips. It shows that each character is literally operating in the shadows.”

Bicycle® Espionage was released in the Club 808 VIP Shop on December 1. Uncut sheets are also currently available in the same shop.

Here are process photos of the court cards:

Jack of Clubs Sketch - This card didn't change much from sketch to finish, but we love the detail of the scar over the eye and the buttons on his coat.

Kind of Diamonds Sketch - The final version of this card contains even more shadows for a mysterious look and feel.

King of Spades Sketch - We ended up leaving out the two knives on the final card to keep the design clean and focused.

Queen of Clubs Sketch - This ninja woman's hair changed considerably from where we started here. The kanji on her headband means "strength."

Post Author: Katherine Monasterio

About Traction: Traction is a design firm located in Cincinnati, OH. They specialize in high end branding and creative projects for a multitude of clients such as The United States Playing Card Company, NBA, Mindbody, Prilosec OTC and many more including local and national brands.

News: Conjuring Arts Research Center Teases Thanksgiving Exquisite Playing Card Release

In a Facebook post earlier today, Conjuring Arts Research Center released an image of an upcoming playing card deck called Exquisite. Conjuring Arts has teased the deck in the past which features a tuck case functionality that is unlike a standard deck of cards. Instead of the top flap opening, the case opens from the side flap for side loading of the cards.

On Conjuring Arts website, the deck is listed to be available on Tryptophan Thursday aka Thanksgiving. In case you were wondering, Tryptophan is an amino acid found in Turkey, which is traditionally served on Thanksgiving. Conjuring Arts describes as "Luxurious" and  "elegant" courtesy of their Facebook page:

The name Exquisite was also the name of De'vo's Signiture Series deck just released on November 2nd, which sold out in less than a week.

Revealed: Introducing Requiem Playing Cards; Designer Searching for Producer/Founder

This week Swedish-based designer Lorenzo Gaggiotti unveiled his playing card project called Requiem Playing Cards by launching a Facebook page for the project. Developed over the Summer of 2013, the deck is a 100% custom designed  and features broken Hearts, Clubs with thorns, cracked Diamonds and the Spades are actually dry leaves. The deck is neither a white or black deck but actually a red deck, which certainly changes up the playing field as this is not commonly a deck color choice.

The deck's theme can be discovered by looking at the name - Requiem. According to Wikipedia....

A Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead (Latin: Missa pro defunctis) or Mass of the dead (Latin: Missa defunctorum), is a Mass celebrated for the repose of the soul or souls of one or more deceased persons, using a particular form of the Roman Missal. It is frequently, but not necessarily, celebrated in the context of a funeral.

Gaggiotti explains on his Facebook page the following about the deck's dark theme....

It´s a dark deck where bad feelings take their own place on each court and ace. A way to release bad energy and transform bad feelings in beauty.

With the reveal of the deck, Gaggiotti also mentioned he is seeking a founding partner for the deck to fund, produce and distribute the deck. In a comment on his page, he mentioned that Kickstarter was an unlikely option as he does not have a US/UK bank account to run the project. If you are interested in founding the project and support the distribution please inquire with Gaggiotti here.

Post by Requiem Playing Cards - Card deck.

News: Albino Dragon Launches The Princess Bride Playing Cards; Reaches Goal in Less Than 24 Hours

From Albino Dragon, the game studio that brought you the most successful playing card deck to grace Kickstarter, comes a playing card project that is trending toward being an even larger project - a deck themed after the 80's cult classic The Princess Bride. Launched earlier today, The Princess Bride themed playing card project has already surpassed the initial goal of $10,000 and is currently over 160% funded. Because of the earlier project's success, Albino Dragon was able to secure the licensing to the highly popular 1987 romantic-comedy/fantasy film that starred Christopher Guest, Cary Elwes and Robin Wright. The movie was an adaptation of the novel by William Goldman.

The playing card deck will feature similar artwork as Albino Dragon's previous projects with 100% custom illustrative designs.  While a lot of the artwork is still under lock in key or yet to be produced, Shane Tyree, Albino Dragon's creative director on past projects including The Name Of The Wind, will not be involved in this project. Shane left Albino Dragon a little less than a month ago after a difference in opinion with Albino Dragon's CEO Erik Dahlman. This will be Albino Dragon's first project without Shane but after today's success it looks like they are off to a good start without him. However, we will miss you Shane and you can follow his future projects here.

The project will fund for another 35 days when it will cease funding on November 26, 2013. The decks will be printed by The United States Playing Card Company. Do you think this will be bigger than Albino Dragon's previous project?

Here is a look at the artwork courtesy of the project's Kickstarter page: