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Hello everyone,
Until now I had all my collection boxed into bricks and stored in the only area of the house that my wife conceded me (a drawer and a couple shelves).
I am now in the process of slowly sorting stuff and placing everything in carat displays in the hope of enjoying the sight of my most loved decks every once in a while.
So while I move and sort stuff I thought it could be a good idea to photograph and have a showcase here that will grow over time.
Of course I’m mostly starting with Lotrek stuff.


First pic is a temporary display because I’m waiting for an 8 carat to put both venexiana masked and unmasked to have the “early decks” together.
Last picture is a work in progress idea to display the redemption stories but I might try a 10 carat to see if two rows will fit better.

These are my pride and joy.

Some random Lotrek carat sorting, rest is still in bricks. (Waiting for 3 displays for arabesque players and fable, 4 display for liturgy plus more cases). The empty slots will hopefully be filled soon with my missing decks.

And finally some random stuff I particularly like.
I have more of the federal 52/black reserve/legal tender decks but they are still packed. It’s the stuff I love the most from KWP.

As for the Butterflies I have everything Ondrej released, it’s the deck that started me on collecting, so i have a very soft spot.

Looking great! Jealous of the Blue Damask!

I have to post this quick and dirty mail day because I’m quite excited.

I'm glad it finally made it to you

I blame acetofive for this, but here’s a little something I thought I should gift myself.
In excellent conditions.

Beautiful cards Jason. One of my favourite Dondorf.
But for some strange reason when I look at the Jacks, I always think Arnold Horshack
Ooh Ooh

Wow. Really nice find. I've seen maybe only one of these for sale in the past year or two - and this looks like it's in great condition. Dondorf's skill in chromolithograph printing and draftsmanship really shines in these cards.

And now an incredible find. I asked for these on reddit and here, knowing I would have had a very hard time finding just the “regular” 1818. Completely out of the blue I was contacted and this is the result, way more than I could’ve hoped to find.
Apologies for the incapacity shown in setting the pictures but my hand was shaking and these decks in person are even more stunning than the pictures make them justice.

Seldom does a post make me so jealous

I'm not a particular fan of those decks, but that is a very nice set.

Wow, I don't think I knew there were all those variants. How many of those are prototypes?

brownsl wrote: ↑Sat Aug 26, 2023 3:50 pm Wow, I don't think I knew there were all those variants. How many of those are prototypes?

Bold 1818 (x/81)
Bold 1818 White Gold Experimental Prototype
Bold 1818 Black Gold Experimental Prototype
Black 1818 Prototype (x/3)
Bold 1818 Red Red Experimental Prototype
Bold 1818 Red White Experimental Prototype
Bold Deluxe
Bold 2023 Test Print (x/30)

So 6/8 of the decks displayed are prototypes. Bold 1818 prototypes range from x/7-x/11 based on numbering on these, although P52 says something different, with 6 combinations total. Backers were given the option to choose the gilding and whether to use the standard or deluxe deck.

To further elaborate on that:

Bold 1818 White Gold Experimental Prototype x/10
Bold 1818 Black Gold Experimental Prototype x/10

As for the red/white experimental prototypes, if you consider just the decks and not the tuck, those are the two different versions: red/white gilded standard and red/white gilded deluxe. If we want to take into account the tuck swaps, 6 different combinations were offered and I think, after speaking with Elettra that only 5 were actually picked.
For the sake of sorting everything out in the best way possible, I’m listing all the possible combinations and add my numbers so hopefully at some point we might have all the data.

Comb 6 Red/red tuck STD deck red/white gilded (x/1)
Comb 3 Red/red tuck DLX deck red/white gilded (x/4)
Comb 5 White/red tuck STD red/white gilded. (x/8)
Comb 2 White/red tuck DLX red/white gilded
Comb 4 Black/red tuck STD red/white gilded (x/1)
Comb 1 Black/red tuck DLX red/white gilded (x/4)


According to this specific p52 entry https://www.portfolio52.com/deck/15937/view

Combination 1: 4 decks produced. Combination 3: 4 decks produced. Combination 4: 1 deck produced. Combination 5: 8 decks produced. Combination 6: 1 deck produced.

One of my decks would be combination 5 and the other one either 1 or 3.



EDIT: got the bold 1818 booklet and can confirm the combinations from it and updated the combinations list for future reference

A little something from my very limited vintage section:

Orient express

Fournier Pre-Columbian America was my very fist vintage deck and I have loved it ever since

And finally “the most valuable property in Hollywood”

And now for something old that just arrived. I have to say I was surprised by the conditions, with one deck with barely noticeable discolorations on the back and some color residue on the corners, but considering it’s square corners I’d say it’s in quite excellent shape.

Dondorf Four Continents deck, version 2 (b?) and version 4

Correct, V2b (V2a has French text alongside borders), from about 1875 (Braun p. 26).

Sweet stuff. I have one of those Eastern Orient Express sets as well.

#207 - that is a real prize. Nice find.

So I found those listed under the name “Anti-religious playing cards” WK 17214. It’s a Russian propaganda deck printed in the 1930s. More info and better pics: https://www.wopc.co.uk/russia/anti-religions

Decent conditions, still can spot some residue gilding under the light. No box unfortunately.

A little something I decided to gift myself after a few weeks of thinking: Dondorf’s “Cartes musicales”, a very clever mix of playing cards and sheet music with a very interesting touch of randomness.
Gilt corner, excellent conditions but no box.
Italian tax stamp plus the shop stamp on the four of diamonds.

As usual I blame acetofive for this rabbit hole.

That is one heck of a deck - been dreaming of one for years

My nefarious plans to bring some of you to the dark side is apparently working. Very beautiful sample of these cards.

acetofive wrote: ↑Fri Nov 10, 2023 10:24 pm My nefarious plans to bring some of you to the dark side is apparently working. Very beautiful sample of these cards.

I think your plan is spinning out of control - I see the unintended consequences, the dominoes beginning to fall - your plan now unleashed is spreading beyond its banks - no one is safe - the end is neigh…

Yup - as a matter of fact, not only have I been there, but that is me in the picture right at the front of the line.

You can’t tell from the photo, but under that coat I had $30,000 worth of decks that I had just picked up from the post office - not much of a bulge created by 4 decks...