Bicycle Playing Cards Memorabilia

[Levent Suberk]

Russell & Morgan 1885 calendar pages. U.S. Playing Cards.

[Levent Suberk]

New York Consolidated Card Co. foldout calendar. 1899. Playing card size. Opens to reveal an 1899 calendar and a pop-up joker holding a banner advertising the “Squeezer” brand.

[Levent Suberk]

Congress cardboard display stand for deck of playing cards with easel back, circa 1910. 7 x 4 ¼ ins.

[Levent Suberk]

Congress 606 bronze plaque. 5 x 3 ¼ ins.

[Levent Suberk]

Union Playing Cards broadside. American Playing Card Co., New York, circa 1862. Likely mailed by the distributor, J.R.Hawley of Cincinnati. 22 x 15 ins.

[Levent Suberk]

Not a USPCC item but interesting. White King soap tin advertising clock. 24 X 16 1/2 X 6 inches.

[Levent Suberk]

USPCC cardboard placard with an American Indian, dated 1899. Measurements of 19 x 14 inches.

[Levent Suberk]

Diamond brand Bicycle playing card cover matchbooks. 1970s.

[Levent Suberk]

Printing block for Rider Back Bicycle cards. The United States Playing Card Company, Cincinnati, Ohio. Circa 1910. The United States Playing Card Company Museum.

[chach]

Diamond brand Bicycle playing card cover matchbooks. 1970s.

I have a book of matches like that, up until now it was the only one I had seen like that. DK what card is it inside, will have to take a look if I remember. Good to know there's at least two others out there in the world.

[shermjack]

Diamond brand Bicycle playing card cover matchbooks. 1970s.

I have a book of matches like that, up until now it was the only one I had seen like that. DK what card is it inside, will have to take a look if I remember. Good to know there's at least two others out there in the world.

I was the lucky one who actually won the bid for the two matchbooks Levent posted, but he beat me to the post...hehehe.

Anyways, this is from an eBay listing I ran across when bidding on the pair and deck (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Under-Cover-Nea ... Sw9NdXrA5r" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)...book of matches for 10 plus 3.35 shipping:

In the late 1970's and early 1980's, the Diamond Match company put out matchbooks with a Bicycle Rider back cover, and inside each book was imprinted a single playing card. Wow! What a boon to magicians who wanted to do something different with their card magic. Inevitably, some routines with these matchbooks hit the market and the literature. Unfortunately, it seems the partnership between Diamond Matches and the USPC was short-lived, as the matchbooks disappeared from the grocery store and smoke shop shelves, and magic lost that particular avenue for extra interest in card magic.

One of the tricks introduced around 1980 was Under Cover, by Neal Prete (who invented the excellent ShakeSphere trick). Under Cover is a simple routine, but effective. A card is selected and shuffled back into the deck. Two cards are removed from the deck, but neither is a match for the selection. To save the day (and his reputation) the magician magically produces a book of matches from between the two cards. "Well, there a match!" And when the spectator opens the matchbook, a picture of her card is imprinted inside the cover.

Here's another listing from the same shop for another trick involving 5 matchbooks...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Matching-Ga ... OSwv-NWWzO~" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Levent Suberk]

Vintage bottle pocket lighter decorated with four aces around the outer rim. Inside rim reads: Kem Co., Detroit, Mich. Made In USA. Bottom reads: Pat. Applied For. 2 3/4 inches long.

[Levent Suberk]

Domino deck by US Playing Card Co.