DECK OF THE MONTH

Just like the "Joker of the Month" in the Jokers section we will select a "Deck of the Month" from all the decks that we could add to our collection during that month. It will be what we consider our best find. We've started this section in April 2007 and without any doubt we can say here that over the years there will be antique, vintage and modern decks shown on these pages. Age, design and value of the chosen decks may be very different each time.

This summer is filled with sport events and June is one of the months, in which sports fill hours of television here. We've had Roland Carros, Pro-League hockey, basketball finals in several countries and of course presently the WC soccer or football as we prefer to say here. Fortunately I prefer the short summarized versions in all sports.
Anyway, when I came across this deck, a bit hidden in one of my showcases, the decision to show it here was easily made.

When your country has been chosen to organize the Olympic games, one would expect that a national playing card manufacturer would issue a nice non-standard deck, but the only major Dutch manufacturer didn't even, as far as I know, produce a standard deck with a special Olympic back design. Maybe that was because earlier that year the Altenburg print shop of the German Vereinigte Stralsunder Spielkartenfabriken (VSS) had printed and published this "Sport Karte" deck. At first in Germany, but soon after in the Netherlands too as "Sport Kaart". The only difference between these editions are the used indices. German indices (K,D,B) for the first edition and Dutch indices (H,V,B) for the later one. The designs are exactly the same. They were done by Otto Pech (Pix) and his signature is on every court card and the joker.
So why did the VSS publish this special designed deck in 1928? The most likely reason for this was that Germany had been invited to participate in the Olympic Games, both Winter and Summer editions, for the first time since WW I had ended.
Until the last pre-war Olympic Games in 1936, it was a rule that the winning country for the Summer Games could organize the Winter Games too. The Netherlands declined this option and the 1928 Winter Games were held in Sankt Moritz, Switzerland, earlier that year. But because Germany participated there, you'll find the winter sports on 2 cards in the deck, the ace and queen of diamonds. After WW II the Winter and Summer Games were held in 2 different countries.

In 1928 the Olympic Summer Games only 16 sport disciplines were presented. Although the games were held between July 28 and August 12, the hockey and football tournaments were held earlier. Click HERE to see the official 1928 program.
SPORTS
Athletics Boxing Cycling Diving	Equestrian sport Fencing sport Football Gymnastics	Hockey Lane swimming Modern pentathlon Rowing	Sailing Water polo Weightlifting Wrestling
You'll find that most of these sports are represented on the courts and aces. Weightlifting was somehow left out. But as the VSS had to publish the deck before the actual program for the Summer Games had been set, they included tennis. Probably because tennis had been one of the 19 sports in the Olympic Games of 1924 in Paris, the VSS had anticipated that it would be an Olympic sport in the Summer Games of 1928 too, quod non.

In 1924 shooting was an official sport. In 1928 not, but part of the modern pentathlon. The bobsleighing and ice skating were done in Sankt Moritz.

SOME FUN FACTS

The lighting of the Olympic flame was introduced for the first time. It wasn't ignited by an athlete, but by a coworker of the local gas company.

It was also the first time that the Greek delegation led the opening parade of the different countries.

It was the first time that women were allowed to participate in athletics and gymnastics.

The British athlete Jack London was the first to use starting blocks in the 100 meter race, while the other runners still made small holes to put their feet in.

Wilhelmina, Queen of the Netherlands, wasn't present at the opening ceremony, because she hadn't been consulted about the opening date, which had already been set in January 1927. A pretext of a planned trip to Norway was given. She did attend the closing ceremony. Her husband Price Hendrik attended the opening ceremony instead.


	Note that neither Amsterdam nor 1928 are mentioned anywhere in the deck or on the box. The back design only shows the word sport and the Olympic rings. A clever way to be able to sell the deck in both countries. Still, the deck remains very hard to find here, so I doubt that large numbers have been sold in the Netherlands.

Not visible on the scans are the shiny gold corners on the cards.