Kickstarter: Cotta's Almanac Transformation Playing Cards (1811) - Reproduction Deck #6

[EndersGame]

Cotta's Almanac Transformation Playing Cards (1811) - Reproduction Deck #6 (Kickstarter)

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/pl ... production

1811 "Knightly Orders" Deck 6 of 6 in a series - Precisely Hand-Recreated & Printed by USPCC - 2 editions

Deck cost: US$10 per standard deck, US$12 for limited edition deck (individually numbered)
Set cost: US$60 for all six decks in the series
Current funding level: already funded!
Kickstarter ends: Friday November 12, 2021



Transformation playing cards involve cleverly incorporating the pips on the cards into a larger picture. So an imaginative artist might transform the Heart pips into faces, the Diamond pips into hats, or the Club pips into paw prints. Transformation playing cards exhibit a level of creativity and ingenuity like few other decks, because the artists creating them must work within the limitations produced by the need to incorporate the pips into their design, and work with this in a creative, imaginative, and original manner.

Transformation playing cards first started appearing in the 1800s, and especially in the latter half of the nineteenth century there was a real boom. But the honour of the very first published and complete deck of transformation cards goes to Johann Freidrich Cotta, the man at the helm of publishing house J.G. Cotta from Tübingen, Germany, around 1804. J.F. Cotta went on to produce a series of six playing card almanacs in successive years from 1805-1811, with a new deck appearing in all but one of those years.



A special project is underway, spearheaded by Will Roya from PlayingCardDecks, to produce reproductions of these rare and historic decks. Roya has engaged the assistance of graphic designer Azured Ox, who recreates the cards digitally. The plan has been to produce all six Cotta decks individually within two years, and this final deck will complete this special project. The first five decks of the series have already been printed, and the sixth and final deck is now up for crowdfunding on Kickstarter.

The sixth deck of the playing card almanac series was issued in 1811, and was themed around knightly orders. The court card figures depict members of various knightly orders and the characters are in the robes of various orders of real knighthood/damehood or spiritual orders.



Pictured on the court cards (Jack, Queen, King) of this deck are:
● Clubs: Order of St. George, Company of the Amanthe, Order of the Crescent
● Spades: Order of St. Catherine of Mount Sinai, Order of the Sash, Order of Amaranthe
● Hearts: Order of the Porcupine, Tribe of Amazons, Knights Templars
● Diamonds: Order of St. Lazarus, Order of the Axe, Order of the Elephant

The theme of the number cards is romantic or even spiritual with a variety of subjects. Sixteen of the pip cards have scenes that can be considered illustrative of the four seasons.



As with the previous reproduction decks produced by Will Roya and PlayingCardDecks, the Cotta decks are being printed by United States Playing Card Company, makers of the well-known Bicycle brand. This means we can expect a quality product with good looks and good handling. Funding will come with the help of Kickstarter, and Will Roya is an experienced and respected creator with a proven track record. He has often used crowdfunding to produce his decks, typically with a fairly quick turnaround.

Special purchase options for this project include an attractive uncut sheet, and the opportunity to purchase a complete set of all Cotta's Almanac decks for just $60. The five previous reproduction decks in this series can also be purchased individually here.



The Cotta transformation decks are extremely significant, given the many transformation decks they subsequently inspired, and the unique place they occupy in playing card history. To be able to enjoy them in a fine modern version that carefully reproduces these keystone decks is a real privilege, and I'm delighted that these classics are being brought to contemporary audiences with a quality edition!



Here is a thread with more information about the entire project: The Famous J.G. Cotta Transformation Decks

Kickstarter link:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/pl ... production

[Strag]

As a fan of transformation cards, this has been a pleasure to back along the way.

[Cardamon]

As a new collector I snagged the whole set just now.
So lucky some of these ks campaigns bring out the older ones as well

[hsbc]

So at $10/deck the regular set is a pretty good deal IMO -- but the "ultra limited gilded box set" is $300 I like PCD and Will Roya but what

[EndersGame]

Does that price include the special carat case, or is that extra?

[Cardamon]

I thought it included the case yes.
I’ll stick with my normal 6 piece set though.

[HostileTraveler]

I've really enjoyed this set of decks, and I was looking forward to seeing the gilded versions, but I may have to pass given the cost. I could almost justify the $50/deck if the tucks were a bit nicer, and I do realize there's a custom case and all, but as it is, seems like a bit too much of a markup.

[brownsl]

I agree, I really have liked this series but that price seems way too high.

[MaxPower]

I prefer the visibility of the darker text on the standard tuckboxes, so no way would I pay $300 for that gilded set just to get it in the custom Carat Case. I backed the campaign all along for both tiers and scored the Early Bird special with 2 standard and one gilded deck ($27 shipped)—so I’ll have 2 sets of the standard and one of the gilded for a grand total of $162. I just bought 3 of the standard X6 Carat cases for $22 each with free shipping from Vanishing Inc a moment ago. That’s 2 standard AND a gilded Cotta’s Almanac set in Carat Cases for $72 LESS than that $300 for one gilded set and some different seals in a Carat Case with that tampo on it. Clearly that Special Gilded Set is overpriced—probably so it can later be put on sale for the “bargain price” of $199.
Just my 2¢

[hsbc]

probably so it can later be put on sale for the “bargain price” of $199

$300 is the Kickstarter price, retail will be $400

[Harvonsgard]

Good luck with that. $400 is ridiculous. Unfortunately the one or other impatient collector will pull the trigger later and the margin will be sweet enough to justify the pricing . Just like $250 gilded Cherries work.

[EndersGame]

I've just posted an interview with Azured Ox, who is the artist who has worked on the reproductions of the Cotta's Almanac decks:

https://unitedcardists.com/viewtopic.php?t=19198

It gives some interesting insights into the work involved in recreating these, and some background about her as an artist.

[GandalfPC]

For those missing the limited #1 deck, PCD has a gilded version (limited to 300) available now - new release