Thorn Company Playing Cards

[blejanre]

Hello UC!

It’s been a while since I’ve last been active here. I started working on this project about 6 years ago, and shared progress on custom deck drafting board (thread: https://unitedcardists.com/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=7947) but it fizzled out as I didn’t feel I had the resources to see it to completion.

This year I picked the thing back up, and I’m pretty happy with how it came out! I’ll have a kickstarter up hopefully early 2022.

Features of this deck:

- Every element is hand rendered individually, so no two pips or indices are exactly alike, the court halves are slightly different from one another, and technically, the backs are one way - just because of slight irregularities.
- The Jokers are witches!
- The 10s are courts!
- Two decks will be printed, in traditional red and blue backs - with a stretch goal for a charcoal back
- Embossed matte tuck box, ideally on coloured stock. Stretch goal for thorny vine pattern on inside of tucks.

The back design was inspired by this design from 1734. I couldn’t find a lick of information online about this deck or its manufacturer. If you happen to know anything, pass it along! https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/305892999662126490/

[Harvonsgard]

I like the 10 are courts too idea; more pictures for us illiterates. Pips are nice and clean as well. Back design is nice as well but could be more exciting for me personal taste, but I'd say for what you aimed, you hit.

[blejanre]

Here are some more pictures, but first I could really use a hand.

I was in touch with Expert PCC to get some pricing options, as I know they produce high quality cards in small batches. However they ghosted me and I haven’t been able to re-establish communication. Which is really weird, but what can you do?

I’m feeling overwhelmed by shopping for different manufacturers. Can you recommend any? High quality and 1000 deck (or thereabouts) minimums are my main criteria. What are brands you love and trust? Who are the green flags when you’re buying kickstarter decks? Thanks in advance

[rousselle]

• LPCC (Legends Playing Card Company, Lawrence Sullivan) -- uses same printer as EPCC; usually works more with European and RoW customers rather than US customers, but there have been notable exceptions to this trend. If EPCC is ghosting you, they can't blame you for going to LPCC.
• USPCC -- I believe they may still do 1,000 deck runs as a minimum, but I know that sometimes changes. Quality is superb.
• Cartamundi -- I believe they also still do 1,000 deck runs, but I hear that they are also sometimes difficult to maintain open lines of communication with. Quality is superb.
• WJPC (I can't recall off the top of my head what the letters stand for; this is a printer in China that can be rather good, if you choose the right options. RJ Tomlinson might be able to get you connected, as might possibly be Montenzi, Sunish (at "Guru Playing Cards"), and others. Do a search of UC for WJPC and you'll find other producers as well who have used them. Guru and Montenzi have had the best, most consistent good luck with them, while Robert has had some very good, some okay decks with them.)
• MPC (MakePlayingCards.com; I seem to recall that "Alex" is their main point of contact. They use a printer in China, but the quality is remarkably good for small batch runs.)
• MrPlayingCard -- Jackson Robinson of Kings Wild Projects has used them for a few decks; quality has varied from okay to pretty good. Print in USA, I believe.
• Liberty Playing Cards -- they've been taken over by Gamblers Warehouse / PlayingCards.net. Quality is not particularly great, last I checked, but doesn't hurt to check what your options are. Printed in USA.
• Shuffled Ink -- Also has done short runs for a few of the early "shorts" decks by Jackson / KWP. IIRC, their quality was okay, but I'm thinking MrPlayingCard is better. MakePlayingCards is way better.

[shermjack]

You might not get responses immediately from the printers based in China and Taiwan (LPCC, MPC, TWPCC, WJPC etc) as the Chinese New Year holiday is about to begin tomorrow. Many factories closed already and will remain closed for the next 1-2 weeks at least. This may also be the reason why you haven't gotten a response from EPCC.

[hsbc]

[*]Cartamundi -- I believe they also still do 1,000 deck runs

Cartamundi's minimum is 200

https://customplayingcards.cartamundi.com/faq

[hsbc]

More interesting info from Cartamundi...

Q: I am planning to use crowdfunding to fund my custom playing cards deck (launching a campaign via Kickstarter, Indiegogo, etc.) and I need prototypes to promote my project. Is it possible to order prototypes?


Yes. We offer a prototype package, which includes the production of 35-40 decks with custom printed faces, backs and tuckbox at a fixed price of €450. Some printing restrictions do apply (only CMYK, meaning no PMS, metallics and specialty inks, and no other special techniques such as embossing and foil). You will be granted and using a prototype code on two conditions.

1) You will print at least 200 additional decks with us within one year of ordering your prototypes. If you run a crowdfunding campaign (e.g. on Kickstarter or Indiegogo) to fund the production of your custom playing cards and this campaign is unsuccessful, you will NOT have to print any additional decks.

2) You will not print a similar deck elsewhere for a period of one year. You can request a prototype code via the frontpage. For more information on prototypes, please contact us.

You can request a prototype code after clicking “Enter prototype code” on the frontpage. For more information on prototypes, please contact us.

It would be nice if they worked on making print runs of ~40 decks available to more people instead of jumping on the NFT hype train

[PiazzaDelivery]

instead of jumping on the NFT hype train

lol

[STLBluesNut]

fwiw, as a collector strictly, i do not care about printer if i like the deck design and tuck.

[brownsl]

The tuck gives me Ian Cumpstey vibes.

[Harvonsgard]

instead of jumping on the NFT hype train

Are you refering to the Bicycle NFT thing? Or did I miss something?

[hsbc]

Are you refering to the Bicycle NFT thing?

Yep