Absolutely beautiful!
Real-life playing cards created out of ACTUAL wood! This is not the fake stuff, this is the REAL deal. Real wood. Not only that, but the Cards actually shuffle! You can bend them and use them to play any Card game that exists! Like their previous projects, these cards are made of the highest quality materials, infused with mineral oils to keep them soft and smelling amazing, and laser-etched on real-world material so that no two cards are exactly the same!
While these cards are amazing and great for display and “flash”, they are still real playing cards and are suitable for friendly card games, shuffling, house building, card tossing, and many other activities. They are also surprisingly durable!
Gorgeous!
To quote myself in an email to the company:
“The one thing I might add, although I don’t know if this is going into it or not, as I didn’t see it mentioned, but if these are scented like the deck you sent me with that oil, then you MUST mention and emphasize it! That smell…. Oh man. It’s like heaven. It’s like opening a new book or a new videogame for the first time. The smell simply must be experienced and cannot be properly conveyed through video or pictures! So please talk about it! Even without the smell, I think you should emphasize texture a bit more as well. Talk about how amazing these cards FEEL in the hands. It truly is unique. Everyone I showed the cards too was enthralled and wanting to touch and smell and bend them. It just has such a cool texture that’s so unique and feels like nothing else.”
Let me tell you, I was sent a prototype copy of these Hardwood Playing Cards (before they even had themes!) and I and everyone I showed them too was completely enthralled! They are so impressive, and when you get them in your hands you can’t help but be amazed. Have YOU ever played with cards made of real wood? The answer is NO! lol.
To that end, you owe it to yourself to check out this amazing project and please BACK IT!
Durable, bendable and playable!
“At Bibelot Games, we love taking games to “the next level”. Better formats, better materials, better entertainment. With this project, we’re doing the same for playing cards! We’re discarding the plastic and paper, and making beautiful and luxurious playing card decks from real hardwoods. They’re thin enough to shuffle, thick enough to cherish, and unique enough to know it’s real wood!”
These cards are created using super thin veneers, composed of three layers, including laser etched Okoume hardwood fronts, themed hardwood for the back, and an acrylic core binding them together. Each card measures 2.5″ wide x 3.5″ tall x 0.04″ thick and shows off the natural beauty of real hardwood, imperfections and all. These are not a “printed woodgrain pattern”! Because it’s actual, real, natural wood, the blank backs of the cards are free to show off the unique patterns, markings and coloration of each card; giving you true depth and tactical bliss with each piece.
The are SIX themed decks, each with completely unique artwork! In addition, each deck sold through Kickstarter will be a limited edition, individually numbered on the speciality Ace Card, based on Backer Number. Meaning the first people to support the project will get the earliest, lower numbers!
All decks except the Tarot come with a real leather “tuck box” to keep your cards fresh and stored. The cases are also laser-etched with visually appealing grommets, magnetic snaps and a belt loop for easy portability! Each Collector’s Set meanwhile comes in a laser-etched wooden box to store your cards and display them to impressed on-lookers! :D
You can completely customize and build the deck you want, and there are four different deck sizes of playing cards to choose from (“By doing our own manufacturing, one deck at a time, we can build any combination of theme and deck size so you can get the cards that are perfect for you!”). You can either choose a: 25 Card Deck, 34 Card Deck, 50 Card Deck, 54 Card Deck or 78 Card Deck!
I WANT ALL OF THEM!!!!
So what are the six themes? Here is what each one contains:
1. Classic Theme – The classic suits and royalty you know and love! The backs are Maple, a truly classic hardwood.
2. Reliquary Theme – Features artwork from the “Master of the Playing Cards” ca. 1430. German suits and Cherry backs tie this theme into the collection of ancient games that got us started!
3. Midnight Theme – A horror-themed deck featuring Walnut backs, spooky suits, and campy monsters; all about the lighter side of Halloween!
4. Piratical Theme – Highlights charming rapscallions and buccaneers with nautical suits and African Mahogany backs!
5. Outlaw Theme – White Oak backs, thematic suits, and comically endearing gunslingers to bring the wild west to your card games!
6. Reindeer Games Theme – Celebrate Christmas any time of the year! This theme brings the joy of the holidays to your card table through adorable comic reindeer, themed suits and Ash hardwood backs!
Here are the different Deck Sizes you can choose and what kind of Card Games can be played with each sized deck.
1. Euchre Deck – Consists of 25 Cards: 9 – A (#9 through Ace) in four suits, plus 1 joker. Use it to play Euchre, Sixty-Six, Thundee, Clabber, …etc!
2. Piquet Deck – Consists of 34 Cards: 7 – A in four suits, plus 2 jokers. Use it to play Piquet, Sheepshead, Klabberjass, Septica, …etc!
3. Pinochle Deck – Consists of 50 Cards: two each of 9 – A in four suits, plus 2 jokers. Use it to play Pinochle, Doppelkopf, Bezique, …etc!
4. Standard Deck – Consists of 54 Cards: 2 – A in four suits, plus 2 jokers. Use it to play Poker, Rummy, Bridge, Cribbage, Canasta, …etc!
5. Tarot Deck – Consists of 78 Cards on Red Cedar backs: 2 – A in four suits, plus one extra royalty per suit, plus 22 unsuited trump cards (major arcana). Use it to play Tarock, Scarto, Jeu de Tarot, …etc!
All the different Aces for each theme!
Additionally to just the playing card decks themselves, there are a number of different sets that you can purchase including an INCREDIBLE POKER SET! There’s also a unique Tarot Cards set!
In addition to these, there are THREE seperate, very cool Accessories you can purchase along with your Cards. They are a “Pocket Aces Key Chain”, a “Royal Flush Necklace” or a “Pair O’Queens Earrings”!
:O AMAZING accessories! Does the genius of Bibelot Games no know limits?! :D
Here are the individual prices per item:
“Want something extra? No problem! Simply add the right amounts from the list below to your total pledge! We’ll ask you for details about what you have chosen in the Backer Survey after the completion of this project!”
* Pair O’Queens Earrings: $5
* Pocket Aces Key Chain: $7
* Royal Flush Necklace: $10
* Euchre Deck: $30
* Piquet Deck: $35
* Pinochle Deck: $45
* Standard Deck: $50
* Tarot Deck (w/box): $100
In addition, there will be a number of additional Achievements that will be unlocked and add additional cool things to the project if more people Back it! I’ll report on those in future articles and cover them in this piece as well (as the unlockables are unveiled).
Last but definitely not least, here are the different Backer Categories and the prices for how to get in on this amazing Hardwood Playing Cards Kickstarter Project! Remember that you can add the prices above and mix and match decks to create your own custom set!
Absolutely amazing! My jaw dropped when I saw this Poker Set!
* Tier 1 – Pledge $5 Or More
Two-Card Hand: Your choice of any two cards from one of the seven themes.
* Tier 2 – Pledge $10 Or More
Royal Flush Necklace: Five 1” Mini Cards (10-A) on a 24” ball chain necklace! Your choice of theme and suit! All hardware has a gunmetal finish.
* Tier 3 – Pledge $20 Or More
Accessories Set: Two Card Hand + Royal Flush Necklace + Pair O’Queens Earrings + Pocket Aces Key Chain! Your choice of theme, suits and cards (as applicable).
* Tier 4 – Pledge $30 or More
Euchre Deck: Your choice of theme for a 25-Card Euchre Deck. Includes laser-etched leather case!
* Tier 5 – Pledge $35 or More
Piquet Deck: Your choice of theme for a 34-Card Piquet Deck. Includes laser-etched leather case!
* Tier 6 – Pledge $45 or More
Pinochle Deck: Your choice of theme for a 50-Card Pinochle Deck. Includes laser-etched leather case!
* Tier 7 – Pledge $50 or More
Standard Deck: Your choice of theme for a 54-Card Pinochle Deck. Includes laser-etched leather case!
* Tier 8 – Pledge $100 or More
Tarot Deck: The 78-Card Tarot Deck, with an un-dyed muslin wrap, in a gorgeous wood box!
* Tier 9 – Pledge $200 or More
Themed Deck Set: All four deck sizes (Euchre, Piquet, Pinochle, and Standard) from the theme of your choice! Comes in a laser etched wooden box!
* Tier 10 – Pledge $250 Or More
Poker Set: A Standard Deck in your choice of theme + 250 Wooden Poker Chips + Dealer/Small-Blind/Big-Blind Buttons in a beautiful laser-etched wooden box!
Even Tarot Cards are covered with this set.
* Tier 11 – Pledge $300 or More
Collector’s Set: Six Standard Decks, one from each theme! Comes in a lovely laser-etched wooden box!
* Tier 12 – Pledge $400 Or More
Complete Theme Set: Everything from your favorite theme! The Themed Deck Set + the Poker Set + Royal Flush Necklace, Pair O’ Queens Earrings, and Pocket Aces Key Chain!
* Tier 13 – Pledge $1,100 Or More
Every Deck: All six Themed Deck Sets + the Tarot Deck! Includes 25 decks of cards and 7 boxes!
* Tier 14 – Pledge $1,250 Or More
Poker Party: All six Poker Sets – one per theme! Includes a total of 1500 Poker Chips, 6 Standard Decks and 6 Boxes!
* Tier 15 – Pledge $2,000 Or More
EVERYTHING!: Six complete Theme Sets (one for each theme) + The Tarot Deck! That’s a massive total of 31 decks of cards, 1500 Poker Chips, 6 Necklaces, 6 Pairs of Earrings, 6 Key Chains, and 14 Laser Etched Boxes! WOWSA!
The estimated delivery time for this project is November 2013. Add $80 to ship outside of the USA. Everything offered is 100% hand-made right here in the USA by Bibelot Games. If you’re looking to support this project, click the link at the very top of the article (the first sentence) and pledge your support at any dollar amount! Your support is greatly appreciated by this small company called Bibelot Games, and will ensure that they are able to continue making awesome boardgame-style projects in the future (they have many more in the works!). ^_^
