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Anyone want Vladislav Erko (Ukrainian) decks?

Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2015 11:45 pm
by Mike Ratledge
I have these requests: Make Payment here; http://UnitedCardists.com/ucoffers.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

1 Th4mo - PAID
2 Shermjack - PAID
3 Eoghann #2 only - PAID
4 Slavich - PAOD
5 Slavich - PAID
6 Cbkimble - PAID
7 bamabenz - PAID
8 Mark from Chicago - PAID
9 DragonSoul - PAID
10 ecNate #2 only - PAID
11 Draud.#2 only
12 Me - PAID

and one for myșelf. I hope to be able to get a dozen sets of three, but I can't guarantee anything until we put our money on the table.

Lately there has been a lot of people talking about the really great Vladislav Erko decks, especially in conjunction with things like Jackson's New Era #46 restoration deck.

The few times I have seen them on ebay.com they were always in the $55-$70 range for a single sealed deck. It's a lot for contemporary decks, but they are outstanding artwork!

Vladislav is a Ukrainian artist who has produced three advertising decks, all with truly unusual courts łand jokers as well as Aces)! He had done three different designs, and each has had at least two different printings with significant changes in the second printings, all of which have Anglicized indices (A/K/Q/J instead of T/K/Ď/B courts, the 'Ď' being the Cyrillic letter which looks somewhat like a squared off 'A'. The backs change in deck one (Ukrainian restaurant / Tavern in Moscow) and also the tuck. Jackson describes it simply "deck 1). First printed in 2008, reprinted - slightly oversized - with gold inks and other changes listed in 2012. The Anglicized spelling with Roman characters is "Taras Bulba".
tmp_19924-OG Taras Bulbu Moscow (54) 2005 Russia155196554.jpg
54 card Taras Bulba first edition - $35 + shipping
Deck two is the dark / sinister Pekelna Harugv deck with witches for Queens and Cossacks for Jacks and killers for Kings.
tmp_19924-pekelna-horugva1445557624.jpg
54 card - Pekelna Harugv- $33 + shipping
The third deck is another advertising deck, designed for Epinious Vodka in 2012, with Cossacks and witches and a bit dark or sinister, dealing with death on a couple of the courts. As far as I know this one has not been reprinted and was done in the Ukraine. This is the deck Jackson describes as "Vladislav Erko II".
tmp_30493-Epenius Vodka (34) 2012 Ukraine-1830211969.jpg
32 card Epinious Vodka ("Cossacks") - $30 + shipping
I attached pictures of the first printing of each of the three decks.

If we have enough people interested in getting one or more of the decks, which range from about $30 & $33. I can get 10 or more for $3 each shipping to the states and $6 shipping by Priority Mail for one or more decks (up to six maximum). If enough people are interested and we put together a total of 20 or more in any combination, the first shipping price would be about $2.50 and at 30+ it drops to around $2 per deck. Delivery inside the states is still $6 for one up to six decks delivered in 2-3 days.

They are all very unusual and gorgeous art decks, and decks one and two have 54 cards, deck three is a 34 card deck (no 2 to 6 pips). Frankly, even I have to admit that these sealed new decks should be opened and enjoyed - at least viewed if not played.

If you would like to get one or more of these decks, leave your requests in this thread, and I I will figure it all out after a couple of weeks, Order them from my friend in Tallinn (Estonia) and distribute them when they arrive stateside. See each deck for pricing, all are $28 or $31 per deck plus $2 to $3 each depending on how many total are ordered, plus $6 for up to six decks or $11 for seven or more - which requires a Medium Flat Rate box.

I'll leave this post "sticky" for two weeks to see how much interest there is, and assuming that we want at least ten decks, figure out exactly what the costs are - which depends on the total ordered. If we add up to at least 20 decks, I can get and pass along a 10% discount on the decks.

Re: Anyone want Vladislav Erko (Ukrainian) decks?

Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2015 1:13 am
by th4mo
I would probably be in for 1 of each. Thanks for the hook up!

Re: Anyone want Vladislav Erko (Ukrainian) decks?

Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2015 2:03 am
by shermjack
I would like to get one of each

Re: Anyone want Vladislav Erko (Ukrainian) decks?

Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2015 2:48 am
by Mike Ratledge
I screwed up the OP. The first two are basically the same, just reprint with new back.

#2 should be "Pekelna Harugv". Reprints are the same price, originals when he can find them are $85-$90.. Same Ukrainian artist, printed in Russia. I went back and fixed the OP, but to avoid further confusion, I left the pix of the original back & tuck here:
tmp_488-pekelna-horugva-box555141589.jpg
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The second print has a black cat card backs.

Re: Anyone want Vladislav Erko (Ukrainian) decks?

Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2015 5:53 am
by Eoghann
Back when these were readily available I passed on them, which I now regret.

I'll take one of each please.

Re: Anyone want Vladislav Erko (Ukrainian) decks?

Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2015 9:30 am
by Mike Ratledge
Eoghann wrote:Back when these were readily available I passed on them, which I now regret.

I'll take one of each please.
Same here. They kind of grow on you. The last time I saw a deck on eBay it was $60-$65. Oddly enough, you don't see them much on the German eBay, either.

It's a little bit early to judge demand yet, but since I have already been asked twice, a set of all three is going to be around $105 including Priority Mail shipping to any US 5-digit ZIP code. I can ship overseas, but I have not run the numbers. Weight is about 300 grams with shipping material. It can go to Canada Priority International for $21 or elsewhere overseas for &$25 (it went up $1 28-May,less $6 US cost. That means add $15 for Canada and $19 overseas to the $105. I don't feel comfortable shipping these First Class outside the US, because it does not include tracking.

I am making zero on these, and I can only get about a dozen sets, maybe less. Александp is checking to be be sure that he can get more of the second deck's Ukrainian printing. He has only two at the moment, and I put my name on that pair. Personally, I only have the OG version of VE1.

The $105 is based on $29+$29+$32 plus $9 shipping from Russia and $6 domestic. That includes one each of the Taras Bulba, Pekelna Harugv and Epinious Vodka (also known as "Cossaks") decks.

I'll probably put up a PayPal payment form here in a few days. Here are a couple better pix of that deck, and you can find more pix of the first two on http://wopc.co.uk I don't think I have seen the Cossacks/Epinious Vodka deck elsewhere,but I bet a Google search would work.
tmp_32076-$(KGrHqZ_!rgFDS_Bqu01BRCu8hM8nw~~60_1.JPG73578072.jpeg
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tmp_32076-$(KGrHqV_!isFC8TOd7BSBRCu8dPPeg~~60_1.JPG-424929333.jpeg
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tmp_32076-$(KGrHqZ_!rIFD01I2_zNBRCu8)jsK!~~60_1.JPG-952465580.jpeg
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tmp_32076-$(KGrHqR_!p!FEEL5rEjDBRCu8rP7ZQ~~60_1.JPG465576125.jpeg
tmp_32076-$(KGrHqR_!p!FEEL5rEjDBRCu8rP7ZQ~~60_1.JPG465576125.jpeg (20.22 KiB) Viewed 8202 times

Re: Anyone want Vladislav Erko (Ukrainian) decks?

Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2015 12:07 pm
by Cbkimble
I really shouldn't but hook me up with a set.

Re: Anyone want Vladislav Erko (Ukrainian) decks?

Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2015 1:12 pm
by bamabenz
Dibs on a set!

Re: Anyone want Vladislav Erko (Ukrainian) decks?

Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2015 1:48 pm
by Mike Ratledge
Cbkimble wrote:I really shouldn't but hook me up with a set.
bamabenz wrote:Dibs on a set!
I added you both, sets #6 & #7 of 12 claimed. There are five more seats at the table...

If you haven't noticed, I am keeping the tally of the queue in the OP.

Re: Anyone want Vladislav Erko (Ukrainian) decks?

Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2015 4:49 pm
by Mark from Chicago
I'll take a set if'n you have any more.

Re: Anyone want Vladislav Erko (Ukrainian) decks?

Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2015 5:45 pm
by Mike Ratledge
dazzleguts wrote:The Cossack deck is available on ebay for $12 US before shipping:
...
It's the 36 card version of the deck though.
Yep, I have seen that. It's a reprint that someone simplified the courts a lot. Typical of the region, there are numerous unauthorized reprints. The originals are much more refined artwork. Curious, but the laws "over there" are like the wild west. I got one just to see what kind of quality it is (or not).

That advertising deck made originally for Epynious Vodka (and I have seen it spelled three different ways) is always a 34-card deck, so it would be truly bizarre if it had otherwise. The artwork shown doesn't match up with the original courts at all.

If you look closely at the side of the deck, it says (in Russian Cyrillic) it's a reprint made 20-10-2014, so it's six months old, not the original done in 2012. You have to be careful with Eastern block countries merchandise - there is no such thing as copyright protection being enforced. "You get what you pay for", I guess. The colors look dull and if you look at any card beside the equivalent original the amount of the card coverage is less, with a lot more white space. Who knows, could be legit, could also be like the "rare" decks from Malaysia and China where they don't even get the spelling right. The card stock looks cheap, and a stark white instead of an off+white background, too.

I'll show what I get.

Mark - I got you in the queue.

I went back and looked again. The seller is in California, but it says that they ship from the Ukraine. Stranger still it says they ship anywhere in the world except Russia, Ukraine, Germany and Moldova?

Re: Anyone want Vladislav Erko (Ukrainian) decks?

Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2015 12:20 am
by volantangel
Let me review my finances and ill get back to you

Re: Anyone want Vladislav Erko (Ukrainian) decks?

Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2015 11:59 am
by DragonSoul
I probably shouldn't but, I'll join in. Thanks!

Re: Anyone want Vladislav Erko (Ukrainian) decks?

Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2015 5:28 pm
by Mike Ratledge
DragonSoul wrote:I probably shouldn't but, I'll join in. Thanks!
Got it. We have three more seats left.

After doing my homework because of the reprint of the Vodka / Cossacks deck that dazzleguts found on eBay, I am going to make that deck optional. Either $99 for all three, or $70 for the first two decks. That way if you are happy with the reprint, you can get it delivered for $17.

Re: Anyone want Vladislav Erko (Ukrainian) decks?

Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2015 8:58 pm
by th4mo
Mike, If the "first two" that are on offer have exactly the same courts, I might just go for one of those, along with the "third" deck with different courts.

Thanks again for generating all your time and expertise on this. Would you (or anyone else who knows these decks) mind explaining more about the "first two" decks, and if it's really necessary to get all three if I'm not an-ultra completist? :oops:

Thanks so much!

Re: Anyone want Vladislav Erko (Ukrainian) decks?

Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2015 9:08 pm
by Mike Ratledge
th4mo wrote:Mike, If the "first two" that are on offer have exactly the same courts, I might just go for one of those, along with the "third" deck with different courts.

Thanks again for generating all your time and expertise on this. Would you (or anyone else who knows these decks) mind explaining more about the "first two" decks, and if it's really necessary to get all three if I'm not an-ultra completist? :oops:

Thanks so much!
No, look down at about the third or fourth post. I should fix the OP. Second deck is the dark / sinister one with the witches for Queens and Cossacks for Jacks and killers for Kings.

I went back and fixed the OP, but left the back & tuck pix in the fourth post.

Re: Anyone want Vladislav Erko (Ukrainian) decks?

Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2015 9:15 am
by ecNate
I'm definitely in for a single Pekelna Horugva (Deck two, dark/sinister), thanks for organizing.

I assume you have 120% trust in this friend? ;) Serious question though.

Re: Anyone want Vladislav Erko (Ukrainian) decks?

Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2015 9:32 am
by Draud
I am in for one Pekelna Horugv (Deck two, dark/sinister, shipping to Israel), thanks for organizing.

Re: Anyone want Vladislav Erko (Ukrainian) decks?

Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2015 10:25 am
by Mike Ratledge
ecNate wrote:I'm definitely in for a single Pekelna Horugva (Deck two, dark/sinister), thanks for organizing.

I assume you have 120% trust in this friend? ;) Serious question though.
Absolutely, Nate! I wouldn't be doing it otherwise.

Single decks are $35 + shipping ($6 US, $21 Canada or $25 overseas). I wish I could do something about the non US shipping, but the no tracking kills it for First Class and it's nearly as expensive as of 28-May, anyway.

I got one t-shirt sent to Australia back "postage due $4.96" on Tuesday, and even though my post mistress weighted it again and said they were wrong, I added that amount making it $16 for a Large envelope weighing less than one pound. That's insane! I notified the recipient the same day.

It went from McClellanville to Charleston to Miami before it was "refused" and added ten days to the delivery date. *smh* They really are doing their best to force everyone to Priority Mail International for anything overseas. The other five international packages all had 12oz prepaid First Class International labels and those went through (average price was $12.50 depending on destination), but this one required 30% more postage? She even checked the size, saying that they were really getting strict about that and charged the package rate if it didn't fit their guidelines, but it was not oversized.

I got you as well, Draud! Deck #2, Pekelna Harugv just like Nate.

Tomorrow night (Sunday) I will lock this thread and put up a form to make PayPal payment and notify the people in line. You can get all three for $99 +shipping, just the first two (no Vodka/Cossacks deck) for $70 plus shipping by Priority Mail. I will make a third option today for a single deck at $35 + shipping and let you pick which one you want.

Re: Anyone want Vladislav Erko (Ukrainian) decks?

Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2015 6:59 pm
by th4mo
Mike Ratledge wrote: No, look down at about the third or fourth post. I should fix the OP. Second deck is the dark / sinister one with the witches for Queens and Cossacks for Jacks and killers for Kings.

I went back and fixed the OP, but left the back & tuck pix in the fourth post.
Awesome. Thanks again. Definitely in for all three!

Re: Anyone want Vladislav Erko (Ukrainian) decks?

Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2015 7:55 pm
by DragonSoul
Just to clarify...is the Cossack deck you are getting the 2014 reprint? The same as the one on ebay? Or is it a different version?

Re: Anyone want Vladislav Erko (Ukrainian) decks?

Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2015 8:39 pm
by Mike Ratledge
DragonSoul wrote:Just to clarify...is the Cossack deck you are getting the 2014 reprint? The same as the one on ebay? Or is it a different version?
It was first printed in 2014. I set up the PayPal so you can get just decks 1 & 2 for $70 + shipping. My source tells me the October 20th version is a reprint, but the Ukrainian printed decks are of a lower quality, so I made that one optional.

Re: Anyone want Vladislav Erko (Ukrainian) decks?

Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2015 1:09 am
by shermjack
Hey Mike, just to clarify, I would like all three decks. Thanks for going out of your way for doing this for all of us! :)

Re: Anyone want Vladislav Erko (Ukrainian) decks?

Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2015 8:59 pm
by Mike Ratledge
Ok, The order form is now up - here: http://unitedcardists.com/ucoffers.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It's not the t-shirts, it's the "limited" one. All three decks are at the top, decks 1 (Taras Bulba Ukrainian restaurant in Moscow & 2 - Pekelna Harugv - the dark / sinister deck or you can order any single deck using the third one down.

Be sure to pick shipping for Canada or overseas if you are not in the US! It is not handled in PayPal.

Also - The bottom one, which is for a single deck has deck 2 preselected - change it to 1 (Taras Bulba) or 3 (Vodka / Cossacks council) before you hit "Buy Now".

They are three separate forms, the top "Buy Now" is the 3-pack, second one is decks 1 & 2, and the last / bottom one is for any single deck.

I will order them when I get the funds from everyone - or no later than Friday if we have lost people.

I will send each of you reminders by PM & email...

I locked this topic / thread. Send me a PM if you have questions.

ecNate tells me that the single deck option has deck #1 (Taras Bulba) pre-selected even though I set it up to show #2. Also Item VE1 just means a single deck, not literally "Deck #1", it's for me to cross check the total number ordered. It doesn't change to VE2 nor VE3 if you change the drop-down selection. Confusing, sorry!

Re: Anyone want Vladislav Erko (Ukrainian) decks?

Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2015 12:24 pm
by Mike Ratledge
Thanks, everyone! Slavich's payment has been made, and I will go ahead and order the 29 decks including one spare Pekelna Harugv (#2, the dark & sinister one with Cossacks for Jacks, witches for Queens and killer Kings) just in case Draud makes his payment.

I will get invoiced by PayPal and immediately make payment including shipping for all decks including my own three, and I hope to have them here in ten days, although perhaps two weeks is a more reasonable time considering that I will be receiving a relatively large package from one of the former Soviet communist block countries. After all, I do hold a military Top Secret and NATO Cosmic clearances.

The outbound shipping - all by Priority Mail domestic & International should take 2-3 days in the US and no more than two weeks for anyone overseas or in Canada, although of course I can't account for customs and similar delays. They will be marked as "Gift" with actual value for customs purposes unless you tell me different. Package tracking number should come directly from PayPal, but after finding that none went out (AFAIK) for the t-shirts, I will also send notifications myself.

Oddly enough "large envelope" First Class apparently doesn't get updated for many countries, but some do (Singapore did, Great Britain did not, and I know Italy doesn't, but it appears Australia is not updating them, either - again, AFAIK none have been delivered of the four destined for Australia.

Priority International Flat Rate boxes - so I am told - are always tracked.

This topic is locked on purpose. If you need to send me instructions for customs, please do so by PM.

Re: Anyone want Vladislav Erko (Ukrainian) decks?

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 3:33 am
by montecarlojoe
Mike Ratledge wrote:ecNate tells me that the single deck option has deck #1 (Taras Bulba) pre-selected even though I set it up to show #2. Also Item VE1 just means a single deck, not literally "Deck #1", it's for me to cross check the total number ordered. It doesn't change to VE2 nor VE3 if you change the drop-down selection. Confusing, sorry!
That was me - I thought it was odd for a list to go 2,1,3 and thought it was a mistake - sorry about that!

Re: Anyone want Vladislav Erko (Ukrainian) decks?

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 7:32 am
by Mike Ratledge
No problem, Joe. I did it on purpose, but wěre fine. The decks have all been paid for except one, and I have a single extra Pekelna Harugv deck already on order.

I will keep everyone up-to-date on the progress and check to insure that the notifications go out from PayPal with tracking number information when I ship the decks by sending myself a package.

If they don't, I will send the tracking information put myself.

Re: Anyone want Vladislav Erko (Ukrainian) decks?

Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2015 4:40 pm
by Mike Ratledge
Darn, mail outbound international from some countries is slow! I am glad we paid for airmail. It took 12 days to get from mailing point to clear customs outbound. Typical transit time from former Russian states is 6 weeks, sometimes longer. Only Russia itself is slower.

It's coming, in two-piece fashion. The total was more than 2kg.

Re: Anyone want Vladislav Erko (Ukrainian) decks?

Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2015 6:21 am
by Mike Ratledge
The 2kg shipment shows it arrived at the post office yesterday late afternoon. I suspect the 1kg box is there as well. In any case, I will be there because the t-shirts are waiting for me, also.

Depending on how they were packed, even if only one of the two shipments is there, I should be able to get some packaged ready to ship Monday, along with the shorts.

I'll report what I got once I get up there around noon.

Re: Anyone want Vladislav Erko (Ukrainian) decks?

Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2015 1:28 am
by Mike Ratledge
...and they all ARE here, picked them up shortly after noon on my way home from the doctor's visit. The t-shirts were there as well, so I will be packing a lot Saturday & Sunday for shipping around 25 packages Monday morning, mostly Priority Mail except the overseas t-shirts, which ship economy.

All domestic packages should show up Wednesday & Thursday except Hawai'i (and I don't think there are any this time, maybe one?). If you are expecting either (or both), please let me know if you don't get tracking number(s) from PayPal by Monday morning, and I'll send those by PM here. The last batch of t-shirts didn't send them when I printed postage labels, even though it had always done it in the past.

Weird (non) tracking from the former Soviet "eastern block" - worse than before. These showed up in my mailbox (well, the 'pink slips', anyway) about ten days after they show up as "released by customs outbound" with absolutely nothing further even when I look right now, and one was here on Wednesday, the larger (2kg) package, whilst the 1kg box of 10 decks showed up yesterday around 4PM. You used to at least get one update every 24 hours with the USPS, now it just seems to have jumped into a time warp from eastern Europe to my mailbox. Must be using a worm hole these days.

I haven't looked at it with a fine-toothed comb yet, but everything was very well packed and I checked the manifest vice the original order, and we got everything exactly as ordered. Hopefully I don't find any dings in the lot, since I only have one spare deck (two of them mine) because of the cost. These decks are really done well, as opposed to some of the recent Russian decks that tend to come unsealed (as these are) and some even without tucks (which these are not - they all do have tucks). The one exemplar I have of the OG deck which was bought at the restaurant in Moscow is tuck-less in a gold mesh bag with drawstring. Nice presentation for direct sales, but not exactly what you're expecting as a collector.