Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-05-28
ONLY THE OLD DESIGNS SELL.
Card Players su p-.rstitious About tho Back,
of Their Cnrda

Card Players su E,-.rstitious About tho Backs
OF Their Cards.
People nowadays are not general
ly superstitious; they do not believe
In signs and onions and portentous
forewarnings of good and evil. o.
casionally one meets an individual
who avoids beginning an undertak-
ing on Friday or Is careful about his
or her posi- ton when first viewing
tho now moon, but the majority, by
far, are prosaic realists and prone
to fly full in the face of time honor
ed traditions. Be that as it may,
however, the praCticed card player,
individually and collectively, be-
Neves that luck will desert him If
he essays to play with cards whose
illuminated backs are designed 9th
or than the peculiar pattern to which
he has boon accustomed. A card
manufacturer, in tho business for q
quarter Of q century, observes that
whether the buyers como from the
Pacific slope or tho Mexican Dor
ders. tho FL Dorado of the pork pack
ers or the sober trade centers of the
east, all are alike in demanding u
certain long familiar style of back
for their local trade.
Admirable, admirable, artistic
and unobtrusive, but it would be
money thrown away for mo to buy
1T, said San Francisco representa-
tive In reference to a new design.
The California players are used to
this angel back, as they call 1t Gin
reality you will observe that one of
the angels Is a goat), and would not
think of beginning a game with any
other sort of cards. Why. in the
we'll established clubs out there you
will see veteran player pull out q
pack of angel backs from his peck
ct, using thcm in preference to those
having the club design"
Same thing in Kansas City"
said another buyer. THE fellows
like the lilly back there, and it 8 no
use trying to introduce any other
kind. I've sold polo designs, foot
ball, yachting, floral and what not
People put thom on tho center table
as objects of interest but when
those who play in earnest sit down
for rubber they call for the lily
backs"
Its curious about these fiorid,
high colored designs to be found all
through Germany and Austria" OBJ
served one of the proprietors, pull
ing out | TX of samples. "Some
of Thorn arc really beautiful AS mini
atures or floral pieces. Go into the
taverns and assembly rooms where
the card devotees are really enjoy
ing themselves, and you II find only
the most sober, conventional backs
IN use. Those with the beautiful
maids and garlanded oxen are rele-
gated to the background"
lis there anything In card design
ing for an aspiring artist?" asked q
bystander.
well, no, was the answer. 1.-THE
sticking to old favorites is a deep
rooted obstacle to his success. Now
and again a wealthy club gives an
order for a new conception which
will introduce their usual symbols
and colors. We would pay possibly
800 for a design of that kind. In
addition we may purchase perhaps
20 original designs during the year,
most of which become drug in the
market It's poor business for a
designer. Only yesterday we had
most artistic pattern offered, small
and apparently practical, something
In butterflies and buttercups and all
that, really charming, but we don't
want 1t. Nobody wants it."-New
York Tribune.