Saturday, 28 March 2015

"Playing cards No. 7728"

"Playing cards No. 7728", anon,  52+2c

The present deck of cards is most interesting. It was found in a small haberdashery shop in Singapore, where it lay forgotten, perhaps for nearly 30 years ( judging by the pictures on the cards), until the author purchased it from the somewhat bewildered shopkeeper.

The cards are of Chinese make ( as the inscription on the box tells us). The box itself displays an image of a embracing couple. Garish rainbow lettering informs us that it contains playing cards:


The playing cards themselves display similar images. Each and every one of them contains a couple in some state of embrace, or doing some activity together.
The images may have been magazine illustrations, or film  posters. Note the four of spades, where what appears to be the title of a magazine on the top. Also note the seven of hearts. In a somewhat inexplicable scene, a woman and a devil are seen together. \
Some cards  have an unusual horizontal format, as seen in the six of diamonds & seven of spades. In a particularly inexplicable moment, a couple are seen buying CDs

More cards from the set. Note the four of hearts. Upon closer inspection, the reflection on the sunglasses of the couple reveal a series of bingo balls

All the cards, and the box are printed on relatively poor quality card. The present deck appears to be a novelty deck. However, that deck of cards was sold along with a few other decks of similar make, one of which was a Oral-B  advertising deck. 

. I would most happily accept any information about possible sources for the pictures on the present deck.