[kem-collector] Kem Playing Cards

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kem-collector
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[kem-collector] Kem Playing Cards

Unread post by kem-collector »

I first started collecting Kem cards and for awhile, that was all I collected. Before my current career, I was a professional poker dealer and we used Kem cards where I worked. I had always been into cards and poker, so once I got out of the casino industry and into IT, I decided one day to build a poker room in the house. And I needed cards. So naturally, I bought a set of Kems. Below is the culmination of that fateful event. Each of the pictures below were scans made by me of cards that I own. I am currently up to 1325 unique decks in the entire collection, but here we are going to focus just on Kem.

From what I have been able to determine, I am missing about 20 "sets" of consumer Kems. There are hundreds (if not more) of custom sets, such as decks for casinos, corporations, commissions, etc. Normally I do not collect these unless they are interesting to me.

What I am missing from the Kem Consumer line:
Gold Band
La Paloma
Night and Day
Unicorn v1

This is what I do have:
ALHAMBRA
alhambra.jpg
alhambra.jpg (145.89 KiB) Viewed 9615 times
ALPHA
alpha.jpg
AMERICAN HORSES
american horses.jpg
american horses.jpg (111.01 KiB) Viewed 9615 times
ANGEL
angel.jpg
angel.jpg (140.65 KiB) Viewed 9615 times
kem-collector
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Re: Kem Playing Cards - considering the avatar name..

Unread post by kem-collector »

ARABESQUE
arabesque.jpg
arabesque.jpg (164.07 KiB) Viewed 9614 times
ARROW
arrow.jpg
ATHENS
athens.jpg
athens.jpg (104.01 KiB) Viewed 9614 times
BALLOONS
balloons.jpg
balloons.jpg (107.09 KiB) Viewed 9614 times
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Re: Kem Playing Cards - considering the avatar name..

Unread post by kem-collector »

BICENTENNIAL
bicentennial.jpg
bicentennial.jpg (121.46 KiB) Viewed 9614 times
BLOSSOMS
blossoms.jpg
blossoms.jpg (147 KiB) Viewed 9614 times
CAMELLIA
camelia.jpg
camelia.jpg (117.06 KiB) Viewed 9614 times
CAMEO
cameo.jpg
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Re: Kem Playing Cards - considering the avatar name..

Unread post by kem-collector »

CARDINAL
cardinals.jpg
cardinals.jpg (143.85 KiB) Viewed 9614 times
CARNATIONS
carnations.jpg
carnations.jpg (98.6 KiB) Viewed 9614 times
CAROUSEL
carousel.jpg
carousel.jpg (135.41 KiB) Viewed 9614 times
CASINO CIRCLE-BACKS
casino circle-back.jpg
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Re: Kem Playing Cards - considering the avatar name..

Unread post by kem-collector »

CHECKMATE
checkmate.jpg
checkmate.jpg (62.08 KiB) Viewed 9614 times
CHRYSANTHEMUM
chrysanthemum.jpg
chrysanthemum.jpg (168.77 KiB) Viewed 9614 times
CLADDAH
claddah.jpg
claddah.jpg (129.73 KiB) Viewed 9614 times
CLIPPER SHIP
clipper ship.jpg
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Re: Kem Playing Cards - considering the avatar name..

Unread post by kem-collector »

CLUB
club.jpg
COUNTRY GEESE
country geese.jpg
country geese.jpg (134.91 KiB) Viewed 9614 times
CREST
crest.jpg
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CROWN
crown.jpg
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Re: Kem Playing Cards - considering the avatar name..

Unread post by kem-collector »

CROWN v2
crownv2.jpg
crownv2.jpg (189.22 KiB) Viewed 9614 times
DAISIES
daisies.jpg
daisies.jpg (164.31 KiB) Viewed 9614 times
DANCE
dance.jpg
dance.jpg (180.12 KiB) Viewed 9614 times
DECOR
decor.jpg
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Re: Kem Playing Cards - considering the avatar name..

Unread post by kem-collector »

DOGWOOD
dogwood.jpg
dogwood.jpg (95.28 KiB) Viewed 9612 times
DUCHESS
duchess.jpg
duchess.jpg (166.59 KiB) Viewed 9612 times
EAGLE
eagle.jpg
eagle.jpg (108.3 KiB) Viewed 9612 times
EGRET
egret.jpg
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hsbc
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Re: Kem Playing Cards - considering the avatar name..

Unread post by hsbc »

Is there a complete list of consumer line decks that you're working from? :D

Thanks for the post (and more to come it would seem :uggrin: )
P52DCIGUCr/m/52+J
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Re: Kem Playing Cards - considering the avatar name..

Unread post by kem-collector »

FANTASY
fantasy.jpg
fantasy.jpg (184.29 KiB) Viewed 9612 times
FAWN
fawn.jpg
fawn.jpg (111.48 KiB) Viewed 9612 times
FLAMINGO
flamingo.jpg
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FLORENCE
florence.jpg
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Re: Kem Playing Cards - considering the avatar name..

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FLORENTINE
florentine.jpg
florentine.jpg (113.14 KiB) Viewed 9610 times
FLYING CLOUD
flying cloud.jpg
flying cloud.jpg (166.21 KiB) Viewed 9610 times
FOREST FAWN
forest fawn.jpg
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GAMECOCK
gamecock.jpg
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Re: Kem Playing Cards - considering the avatar name..

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GARLAND
garland.jpg
garland.jpg (154.11 KiB) Viewed 9610 times
GOLF
golf.jpg
golf.jpg (101.21 KiB) Viewed 9610 times
GOLF v2
golfv2.jpg
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GUIDING STAR
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Re: Kem Playing Cards - considering the avatar name..

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HARVEST
harvest.jpg
harvest.jpg (202.21 KiB) Viewed 9609 times
HEMISPHERE
hemisphere.jpg
hemisphere.jpg (129.26 KiB) Viewed 9609 times
HUMMINBIRD
humminbird.jpg
humminbird.jpg (131.23 KiB) Viewed 9609 times
IMPRESSIONS
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Re: Kem Playing Cards - considering the avatar name..

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INLAY
inlay.jpg
inlay.jpg (97.63 KiB) Viewed 9609 times
IRIS
iris.jpg
iris.jpg (101.47 KiB) Viewed 9609 times
JACQUARD
jacquard.jpg
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JADE
jade.jpg
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Re: Kem Playing Cards - considering the avatar name..

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KENT
kent.jpg
kent.jpg (168.64 KiB) Viewed 9609 times
LIBERTY
liberty.jpg
liberty.jpg (130.92 KiB) Viewed 9609 times
LIGHTHOUSE
lighthouse.jpg
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MALLARD
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Re: Kem Playing Cards - considering the avatar name..

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MAPLE
maple.jpg
maple.jpg (122.18 KiB) Viewed 9609 times
MEHNDI
mehndi.jpg
mehndi.jpg (138.14 KiB) Viewed 9609 times
MILLENNIUM
millennium.jpg
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MONACO
monaco.jpg
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Re: Kem Playing Cards - considering the avatar name..

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MOONFLOWER
moonflower.jpg
moonflower.jpg (126.61 KiB) Viewed 9605 times
MOSAIC
mosaic.jpg
mosaic.jpg (165.1 KiB) Viewed 9605 times
OLD GLORY
old glory.jpg
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ORCHID
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Re: Kem Playing Cards - considering the avatar name..

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PAISLEY
paisley.jpg
paisley.jpg (163.15 KiB) Viewed 9601 times
PANTHEON
pantheon.jpg
pantheon.jpg (182.39 KiB) Viewed 9601 times
PANTHER
panther.jpg
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PHAROAH
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Re: Kem Playing Cards - considering the avatar name..

Unread post by kem-collector »

PINOCHLE
pinochle.jpg
pinochle.jpg (196.89 KiB) Viewed 9601 times
POKER
poker.jpg
poker.jpg (202.1 KiB) Viewed 9601 times
POLO
polo.jpg
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RADIANCE
radiance.jpg
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Re: Kem Playing Cards - considering the avatar name..

Unread post by kem-collector »

REGENCY
regency.jpg
ROSES
roses.jpg
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ROYALE
royale.jpg
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SCROLL
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Re: Kem Playing Cards - considering the avatar name..

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SEAGULL
seagull.jpg
seagull.jpg (137.15 KiB) Viewed 9200 times
SEQUENCE
sequence.jpg
sequence.jpg (109.22 KiB) Viewed 9200 times
SEVILLE
seville.jpg
seville.jpg (158.96 KiB) Viewed 9200 times
SHELLS OF THE SEA
shells of the sea.jpg
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Re: Kem Playing Cards - considering the avatar name..

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SOVEREIGN
sovereign.jpg
sovereign.jpg (121.27 KiB) Viewed 9201 times
SPINNAKER
spinnaker.jpg
spinnaker.jpg (167.26 KiB) Viewed 9201 times
STARGAZER
stargazer.jpg
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STREAMLINE
streamline.jpg
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Re: Kem Playing Cards - considering the avatar name..

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TALL SHIP
tall ship.jpg
tall ship.jpg (118.49 KiB) Viewed 9202 times
THE HUNT
the hunt.jpg
the hunt.jpg (156.03 KiB) Viewed 9202 times
UNICORN
unicorn.jpg
unicorn.jpg (145.54 KiB) Viewed 9202 times
VICTORIAN
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Re: Kem Playing Cards - considering the avatar name..

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WATER LILY
water lily.jpg
water lily.jpg (135.48 KiB) Viewed 9203 times
WINDROSE
windrose.jpg
windrose.jpg (154.39 KiB) Viewed 9203 times
WISTERIA
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YORK
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Re: Kem Playing Cards - considering the avatar name..

Unread post by kem-collector »

The decks below were special decks created in 1941-43 for the War Effort during WWII. They were designed to fit inside the front pocket of GI's and Aviator Pilots. They all came with a leather case with a snap. If you ever have the chance to obtain one, there is a strong possibility that it saw its fair share of combat.

WAR EAGLE MINI
wwii eagles.jpg
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Normandy
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Re: Kem Playing Cards - considering the avatar name..

Unread post by kem-collector »

These decks are just some casino decks, corporation decks or commission decks that I found interesting and have picked up over the years. They were produced by Kem.

AMERICAN EXPRESS
american express.jpg
american express.jpg (184.15 KiB) Viewed 9203 times
AUGUSTA
augusta.jpg
augusta.jpg (62.84 KiB) Viewed 9203 times
BARNES & NOBLES
Barnes & Nobles.jpg
Barnes & Nobles.jpg (98.15 KiB) Viewed 9203 times
FOXWOODS CASINO
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Re: Kem Playing Cards - considering the avatar name..

Unread post by kem-collector »

These decks are just some casino decks, corporation decks or commission decks that I found interesting and have picked up over the years. They were produced by Kem.

ELITE B
elite-b.jpg
LL BEAN
llBean.jpg
llBean.jpg (96.65 KiB) Viewed 9200 times
ROYAL CARIBBEAN
royal caribbean.jpg
royal caribbean.jpg (196.53 KiB) Viewed 9200 times
SIX CARD CHARLIE
six card charlie.jpg
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Re: Kem Playing Cards - considering the avatar name..

Unread post by kem-collector »

These decks are just some casino decks, corporation decks or commission decks that I found interesting and have picked up over the years. They were produced by Kem.

WORLD POKER TOUR
wpt.jpg
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Re: Kem Playing Cards - considering the avatar name..

Unread post by kem-collector »

So that is it for now insofar as Kem cards go. As the collection grows (slow process at this point) I will add new scans here. I hope you enjoyed the pictures and I hope that it helps out anyone else looking to collect or identify Kem cards!
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Re: Kem Playing Cards - considering the avatar name..

Unread post by kem-collector »

hsbc wrote:Is there a complete list of consumer line decks that you're working from? :D

Thanks for the post (and more to come it would seem :uggrin: )
Unfortunately, there is not a master list anywhere. If you have a little bit of luck, you will have a Kem Order Card in your set that will tell you the name of the decks. Or, if you have the original packaging (and trust it) it will tell you the name of the deck there also. Other than that, it is old newspaper adverts, Google-Fu and talking with Chuqii to track down the names of these decks. This is a large part of why I loaded all of these scans into https://www.portfolio52.com/ as well as wanting to add them here. It was painful tracking down the names of unknown decks...and I still have one that is a mystery. 95% of these have not been produced since the 90's and fully 50% haven't been produced since the 60's.
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