leeasher.com // international playing card convention : toronto 2009
International Playing Card Convention : Toronto 2009
Below you'll find some images from my adventures at the 2009 52 Plus Joker / International Playing Card Society's joint convention, held this year in Toronto, Canada. Live the CardStar Lifestyle!
Every year, playing card enthusiasts from around the world join and celebrate in the hobby of collecting playing cards. This year, I was lucky enough to attend the 52 Plus Joker / International Playing Card Society joint convention, held in Toronto, Canada.
"Originally formed to cater to the interests of collectors of American antique playing card decks, 52 Plus Joker has long since broadened the scope of the club to include the collecting of playing cards and related items of all sorts, and from around the world!"
During the course of four days, there were live trading sessions, informal talks, two silent auctions, as well as five presentations ranging from secondary usage invitation/ball cards to a talk on the history of where the name BLACKJACK came from. (It's thought to have originated in the Yukon and Canada)
One of the highlights for me was the special exhibit on playing card ephemera, early gambling devices, and rare pasteboards. They were on display from some of the most prominent collections in the world. For your viewing pleasure, here are several photos from this exhibit and convention (see below).
Click on each image to enlarge for better viewing. Press ESC to leave the image. Follow links to find more info.
Corner Rounder (circa 1890)
SF manufacturer Will and Finck.
The Charles Goodall Joker from a Euchre deck made for Victor Mauger (circa 1872)
Can be found at U19c in the Hochmann Encyclopedia
One-of-a-kind Theodore DeLand Card Locator printing plate (circa 1914) with large Card Locator.
USPC Aviator brand playing cards original printing plate for the pinochle tuck box (circa 1960s)
New York Consolidated Card Company
playing card sample book (circa 1885)
One of five interesting presentations
at this year's 52 plus Joker convention.
(pic) This talk was about the secondary use of cards.
Here is a very short interview with Mr. Thierry Depaulis (chairman of the International Playing Card Society) about Fournier, the Fournier Museum, and how to pronounce the firm's name properly (if your Spanish or French).
Mr. Thierry Depaulis
Below is a transcript of the short Thierry Depaulis interview (above video) for your reading pleasure:
TD: Well my name is Thierry Depaulis. I am from France. Paris precisely. I am the chairman of the International Playing Card Society; which had its annual general meeting and convention here in Toronto, Canada.
Could you share what your interests are with all the viewers?
I have been a collector of playing cards for many years, and also I’m interested in the history of playing cards, and card games. This is why I love playing card museums. There are some in Europe, particularly in Spain, where the firm of Heraclio Fouriner established a museum between the two wars (World War I and II).
Who started the Fournier Museum and where can we find it?
That was the action of two brothers, Felix Alfaro Fournier and Ramón, his brother. They founded this museum within the factory. Finally when they sold their factory to US Playing Card Company (1986), they sold the museum to the province of Álava. It is now a provincial museum.
When were Fournier cards first introduced into Spanish Society?
Fournier cards were first manufactured in the late 19th century. I think the factory was founded in 1868 and Heraclio Fournier, himself, was of French decent He was an apprentice in Paris for Chromolithography, and this is why the firm (Fournier) all have very wonderful colors made in color chromolithography.
Could you teach us the proper way to say Fournier?
We say Fournier? Fourn-ier in French. They say Fournie-r in Spanish.
Thank you Thierry Depaulis.
If you want to further your knowledge about playing cards, learn more about the history and manufacturing behind them, and how to start your very own collection, please visit 52 + Jokers Official website.
All photos are property of LeeAsher.com.
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