deck-25-09

September 2025
In 2005 we bought the reproduction, published a year earlier in the US by F.G. & Co. as La-Tee-Da. It took 20 years, but this year I was able to buy the original deck, which was published by Dean & Son in the UK in 1865. It came without a wrapper or box, so I can't confirm that the deck was originally published as La-Tee-Da as well.

The history of Dean & Sons as a family business goes a long way back, to 1702. Since then the business, which was founded by Thomas Bailey, the maternal great great grandfather of George Dean, the owner of Dean & Son in 1865, has had many different names. In 1811 the family business was continued by Thomas Dean Jr. and Thomas Munday under the name Dean & Munday and they became famous for their novelty books for children: moveable books, pop-up books and tunnel books. However, there was a falling out and in 1843 Thomas Dean Jr. took over the business and named it Thomas Dean & Co. Four years later he re-named the business to Thomas Dean & Son, although his son George Alfred Henry Dean (1822-1890) had already worked in the business since 1839. After Thomas Dean Jr. had died in 1856, George Dean officially changed the name to Dean & Son. The business had expanded into luxury paper goods and stationary, had a good connection with the East India Company and was still the leading name in novelty books for children in the 19th century.
So this deck is a bit of an odd sidestep, apparently also aimed at children, with it's simple drawings and coloring. And a unique sidestep as well, as I've never seen or heard of another deck of cards by this printer/publisher.
And it's one of the first semi-transformational decks. Like in most of the transformation decks the courts are not transformed, but if you click the aces you'll see why it's seen as a semi-transformational deck. The number of pips in the design are the same as the value of the card, but the pips are not placed in their usual spots.

The courts show an unusual mix. Three mythological figures, of which two are named in the hearts suit (Adonis was a lover of Venus) and the other can easily be identified as Hercules. But Mr. Punch and a sort of Shakespearean character complete the Kings. The Jacks all seem to be "bad" figures. A prisoner (spades), a boy stealing a heart, a robber with a club and a thief going through the drawers of a desk and jewelry box. And what to think about a scarecrow queen? Still, a nice original deck...... enjoy!