It's Your Deal

James Armstrong, Robert Morgan, John Robinson Jr., and A. O. Russell started a printing business in 1867 in Cincinnati, Ohio. At that time they were printing circus posters, theater posters, and labels. In 1880 they decided to manufacture playing cards and their first deck rolled off the presses on June 28, 1881. In 1891 the name of the firm was changed to The United States Printing Company and in 1894 The United States Playing Card Company was spun off as a separate company.

The box and the Ace of Spades identify the year the deck was printed. The Congress brand has been produced since 1881.

One card in the deck has a black and white photograph of the color deck. This one is imprinted with the title "Anticipation." To identify the contents of the slip cover box, a card is glued on the backside.

"Anticipation" was copyrighted in 1902. The artist's signature appears to be E. Zampignhy (?). Anyone familiar with the artist?