Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-04-25

Something ssout the Varieties in Use
ani Their Manufacture.
Prem the New YorE Fv-ninr Poet.


Are there any new fashions in playing
cards" SAID a Well-known manufacturer in that
line Of business, repeating the Question asked
him py reporter OF the Er.7tjs.y Post. THAT
question can he answered both in the af1irIna-
tive AMI IN the negative. The faces of Ulavinr-
cards are the same a. they were in the begin
ninG OF the century. except the use OF the
Indicator aud tTipliJate cards. 4 few years
since We made effort tn introduce a new
style cf card. in which the figures on the face
cards We're Llai,t mere like men and women
than the lJaid" forms so we'll known to all
players. bat lie scheme did not work: our ems
scIntr- returned the entire lot, and We lost a
Considerable amount of money. ! do not
know of any other effort eyer being mate TO
substitute - new style OF card. and the chances
are that shout! you lay aside a pack of
cards in some TlaUSOleCm. the man who may
GscoyeT i iiTe. ten or fifteen centuries hence
vii! al once st down with his comrades to a
quiet game OF euchre or whist. We frequently
make changes in the designs on the backs of
the cards and bring out six or eight new de-
signs every year. The latest design is that
used for the style known a. the club cards
The design is wave pattern, printed from geo
metrical lathe plates. The machinery for the
printing OF these backs cost us - 000 to build
but there was demand for this STYLE of card
which had 10 be supplied. The design covers
the entire back Of the card and Is a continuous
line. So contrived that private mark couid
Not bc made on the card without detection. and
the surface of the card is So highly polished
that the slightest indentation will at once be
manifest These cards are not made for CLUBS,
but the name Club card is simply a brand
The different clubs have their cards made to
order Sometimes they prepare the designs
themselves. but they generally leave that work
10 Us. We make all the cards for the Union
Club a. we'll as for many other clubs not only
In this city. but throughout the country and in
England. The Union Club has its monogram In
each corner on the back of their cards and It
requires good many packs In the course of a
year III - a rule never To use pack of cards
at more than one sitting. It does not matter
whether the play continues ten minutes or tea
hours Zach party when they sit down are sup
Piled with new pack and when they quit play
the I2cH Is put away and is not again used in
the Club room IL j. either sold To some mem
ter OF the club for his private use or returned TO
u 10 DE destroyed ami mao into new pulp
There are probably from fifteen to e,rhteen
Different brands OF playing cards in the market
ranEin-- III price from - 70 - Der dozen packs
The Cheapest ard probably the most widely
knoNn t:1f;i l. the Steamboat These are
made e two sheets of cotton PAPER rIuad to-
ge'h"r. aIl'i do not have The snap and life that
The hncr qualities have. The demand for these
earl comes principally from the East and from
eai'irftd They are made in two STYLES
double heads and single heads The double
heiiS are sol! almost entirely in the East while
Tue tF'.ue IN aiii"rna almost invariably ask for
einSi" heads This brand was so named because
h was made 20 meet the great call for q cbeap
es.Id or the Western steamboats, in the early DAYS
oi steam navigation on the Ohio and Mississipri.
They are "otten up and can be sold at a profit
n Twenty-Five cents pack. Very often during
trip from New Orleans To ST. Lonis or to Gin
einnaf. the Passengers on the boat would use
up six gross OF packs of cards. The cards are
made with star or plaid backs and are soft and
have no life. Still. as ] said. there is great
demand for them. The next salable band of
card II the dogul card. which is made of cotton
AMI linen paper. The cotton makes 1t smooth
and soft. so that ii will take very fine polish,
and the linen gives it snap and life These
cards are made with the triplicate face card and
Also the indicator face. and the demand for
them comes principally from the southwest and
the eastern states. The highest priced cards
are made with gilt edges. and these are sold
chiefly for private use.