Who would you buy unseen from?

[Fes]

Inspired by the Mystery Launch thread in new & custom.

If folks started to adopt a Mystery Launch style and pre-sold a deck sight unseen. If you couldn't see a damn thing before, just plopped up on your email or something and was all "Mystery Launch" for a complete print run deck. Who would you buy from?

I'm sure many of us would have very different lists and I don't think they would be very long. Although we'll see since I'm asking. Here's my list without any thought given. No possibly rarity nonsense considered either. Keep it honest about the design plz.
(We already know 90% of you jump at low numbers.)

1. Randy Butterfield - I wouldn't even have to think about it. I know it'll be a great deck designed with class and made to use.
2. Giovanni Meroni - I trust Gio to come up with some insanity and if he ever said "Crazy Mystery launch". He'd mean it.

I wouldn't have to see anything. Not a tuck. Not a card back. Not a number. Not a pip. Not a court. Not even the deck name.
I know when the deck arrived and was in me clutches, I'd be happy. (I know I would be able to read the indices too)

[Pablo393]

Interesting question Fes. My list would be a bit longer:
1) Lotrek
2) Lorenzo
3) Stutzman (I know he is technically not a deck designer, but the decks he has done, I like)
4) Chin

[brownsl]

1 - Lotrek
2a - Montenzi
2b - Sunish
2c - Chin
2d - Lorenzo

[Harvonsgard]

Since I don't wanna encourage this business/marketing model I have not many on my list:

1. Lotrék
2. Alexandros
3. OathPCC

Mainly for one reason; if I don't like it it will be in 99.99% of the cases not a problem to get rid of the deck with even a margin.

[Aces_Rye]

- Lotrek
- Lorenzo
- Giovanni
- Jackson (I would really hope it's not military vehicle related though )

[Adonael]

Easy:

Lotrek (I've already done it three times)
Lorenzo
Gio
Minty

Nobody else has the consistency in producing designs I like/love to trust that I will like whatever it turns out to be.

[irtjames14]

Me...

Lorenzo
Alex Chin

I've done it with Lotrek for Crypt and was feeling a little disappointed at the expensive price range, so probably won't do that again for such an expensive deck...

[Bradius]

Well, I am a Patreon backer for Lotrek, Lorenzo and Gio, so I do sort of fund their work which includes sight unseen decks. I am also a subscriber to Jackson's subscription program, which is also a kind of sight unseen program. So, those four I guess are folks under certain conditions I will support sight unseen. I am not sure about others, but Montenzi would likely be next in line as he has yet to issue a deck that I have not been impressed with. After that, I am not sure. That said, in general I do not like buying decks sight unseen, so I don't like to feed that monster.

[juxtaposed]

not encouraging this mode of marketing +1

nothing needs to be seen, for me to toss money straight into their wallet; not in order

- OathPCC
- TWI
- Stockholm17

[PiazzaDelivery]

Lotrek
Lorenzo
That’s it for me.
Those two guys gave my aesthetic down to a tee. I would be a conpletionist for both had I been around for their beginnings.

[MagikFingerz]

Depends a lot on the price. Haven't bought any of Lotrek's Mystery decks, but I probably would have if the cost was lower.

[caniveski]

In no particular order

Stockholm 17
Jocu Playing Cards
Oath Playing Cards
Ming and Barry ( never sure if this is right name !? )
Elettra
Thirdway Industries
Uusi

[Bradius]

caniveski, I would agree with you on Jocu being someone I would probably purchase a sight unseen deck. Another would probably be Nicolai Aaroe.

[caniveski]

i forgot to add Npccd !!

[Fes]

I have several of Nicolai Aaroe's decks. (90% I'd estimate as I have no problem buying NPCC decks.) He's certainly grown both as an artist and designer. It's been a lot of fun to see his influence on other designers as well. One of the biggest concerns for me are the indices and he does do a good job with most every one of his decks. I think he's someone that I would consider adding to my list as well and probably should have to be honest. However, I'm not giving it a whole lot of deep thought either. This isn't a list of top X designers in my case. It's a shoot from the hip list for me a lot like the action of buying a deck unseen would be.

It's pretty safe to say if Nicolai offered a deck sight unseen blind launch. I'd buy the thing. It wouldn't be a bloody Tarot deck.

[rousselle]

Assuming the price of the decks and the availability in my budget match, here are a few folks I either would buy from or have bought from, sight unseen:

Randy Butterfield / Midnight Playing Cards
Sunish Chabba / Guru Playing Cards
Rick Davidson
Lorenzo Gaggiotti / Stockholm17
Emmanuel Jose
Lotrek / Oath / Halfmoon
Giovanni Meroni / Thirdway Industries
Steve Minty
Montenzi
Chris Ovdiyenko / Dead on Paper
Jackson Robinson / Kings Wild Project -- As has been noted elsewhere, his subscription decks are sight unseen, for the most part.
Will Roya / PlayingCardDecks.net -- His PipBox Club includes decks produced by his own label, so I think that counts as sight unseen. They are also very reasonably priced.

And these folks are probable buys:

Paul Carpenter (Encarded) -- Technically speaking, either Chancellor or Radia (I don't remember which) was sight-unseen at the time.
Alex Chin (Seasons Playing Cards)
Peter Dunham and Linnea Gits (Uusi) -- I *will* be buying their 52+ Joker deck sight unseen, and I bought Junkaroo sight unseen, but I've passed on one or two commissioned projects they've done.
David Edgerly (Edgy Brothers)
Jody Eklund (Black Ink Playing Cards)
Kirk Slater (52 Ravens)
RJ Tomlinson (Barclay Playing Cards, formerly Tomlinson Playing Cards) -- I don't connect with this souvenir decks as much, but his non-souvenir decks always have a place in my collection.

[masagin303]

Usual suspects, no order:

Stockholm 17
KWP
Jocu
Lotrek

[RichK]

Lotrek
KWP
Nicolai Aaroe
Stockholm 17

[GandalfTheWhite]

I'm very new* in collecting and appreciating beautiful playing cards. In no particular order:

Jocu
Stockholm 17
KWP
Lotrek
Giovani