JANUARY 2024

For the first time in months I couldn't restrain myself and bought some decks from the collection of the late Dudley Ollis, an English collector with a wonderful collection. A few parts of his collection have already been sold at Dominic Winter auction house and no doubt there's more to come.

There was one lot at the last auction that consisted of 6 decks made by the same company and with the same title: the Royal National Patriotic playing cards by William Kimberley from Birmingham. This deck, especially the first three editions have always been somewhere, not very high, on my wish list, but they are not seen on offer very often. Now that the opportunity was there to get all but one of the different versions, I couldn't resist.

There were 5 different versions of the deck. The first edition dates from 1892/3. This joker wasn't added until the fifth edition from around 1902. Just like the decks, I don't think the joker is easy to find. However, she's jolly enough to be shown here.

No new decks this month, so no jokers to choose from. However, there's always Miriam's collection to go through. Besides the folders with sheets she had a vintage -maybe even antique now- American holder with a joker figure and my cards collection embossed on the red outside cover. There she had put her special vintage or antique single jokers. During a meeting here last September three joker collectors had their way in this holder and a lot of them were sold. But there were some left and I found this one rather attractive.

When I scanned the joker I saw that in the back design the name of the maker was printed: Piatnik Nandor es Fiai. This was the Hungarian branch of the Austrian company of F. Piatnik & Sons. This branch was active between 1896 and 1949, when it was nationalized by the Hungarian government.

According to the WWPCM site this joker was used from 1910 on and has seen different variations since. I think that this version is probably one from the 1920's.

Again no new decks this month, so gain I went to Miriam's collection and took out a random holder. It was the "Women" one, so there were plenty of scarcely dressed pin-up jokers, but enough more decent ones too. And this modern joker is one of them. I've always liked the deck. Not only for the nice Art Nouveau like designs by Otto Benz for the courts and the 3 different jokers, but also for the chosen colours with nice gold and bronze tones and delicate red accents. From the three jokers I chose this one, because it's the only one on which the word joker has been woven into the design so delicately.

If you have some knowledge of cars, you'll recognize the Renault emblem, on which her left arm seems to rest. It's there for a reason. Originally printed and  published by the VASS from Leinfelden, Germany, as an advertising deck for Renault automobiles. Two years later the VASS came with an edition under it's own name. However, on the jokers the Renault emblem was part of the design and although it could have been removed easily, for some reason they left it there.

If all goes well, next month I'll have a nice vintage French joker to show here.

The jokers of the month from.....