52+Joker Charter Member Toby Edwards contributed this information about the Owl deck which is very interesting. In his emails to me this was Toby's observations......
Good afternoon, Dave!
In the course of opening boxes of playing cards that I haven't seen in a while, I came across these two variations of the Owls brand, Hochman Nu4 & NU4a. I noticed on your National PCC website that you have the date posted as (?) for each and I wondered if the following pictures not currently shown on your website might be of either help or interest to you. Given the history of NCC provided on your website, I do not understand how the Dawson/Hochman encyclopedia could have dates of 1882 and 1885 showing for the earlier brands if the company did not exist prior to 1888 legally and 1889 practically.
First, it should be noted that both the branded and unbranded OB's show the unusual brand No. 0.0. or O.O. depending upon how you look at it in different fonts.
Good afternoon, Dave!
In the course of opening boxes of playing cards that I haven't seen in a while, I came across these two variations of the Owls brand, Hochman Nu4 & NU4a. I noticed on your National PCC website that you have the date posted as (?) for each and I wondered if the following pictures not currently shown on your website might be of either help or interest to you. Given the history of NCC provided on your website, I do not understand how the Dawson/Hochman encyclopedia could have dates of 1882 and 1885 showing for the earlier brands if the company did not exist prior to 1888 legally and 1889 practically.
First, it should be noted that both the branded and unbranded OB's show the unusual brand No. 0.0. or O.O. depending upon how you look at it in different fonts.
This may seem like an unusual observation, but it struck me that the brand number for Owls of 0.0. could indicate that it was their very first brand given that their subsequent brands were numbered 11, 22, 33, 44 and 55 so, perhaps, this was the start of a sequence in a manner similar to the way R&M started with 101 and advanced up through 202, 303, 404 and so on.
The second photo shows the fronts of the OB's side by side where you can see that the unbranded OB has replaced the word "National" with "Playing Cards".
The second photo shows the fronts of the OB's side by side where you can see that the unbranded OB has replaced the word "National" with "Playing Cards".
I believe that it is the third photo showing the back of each OB where things get more interesting. The National OB advertises for the company generally and their Crescent No. 44 brand in particular.
The sides of this OB advertise the Apollo No. 33 brand on one and the National Club Whist No. 175 brand on the other.
It should also be noted that this OB was made from a repurposed blue National Club OB whose printing is seen on the inside. It also reads "Murray's Pat. No. 434878 Aug. 19 1890. I cannot see any evidence of a TS (tax stamp)on this badly damaged OB. You will then note that the "generic" OB advertises the National Arrow brand and USPC Bicycle and Tiger brands. These same brands are also advertised on the two sides of this OB. Both the inside and outside of the tuck flap advertise the No. 999 Steamboat brand and there remains half of a USPC cancelled TS with the date half missing. This OB reads "Murray's Pat. Finger Recess, No. 434878." without any date.
The sides of this OB advertise the Apollo No. 33 brand on one and the National Club Whist No. 175 brand on the other.
It should also be noted that this OB was made from a repurposed blue National Club OB whose printing is seen on the inside. It also reads "Murray's Pat. No. 434878 Aug. 19 1890. I cannot see any evidence of a TS (tax stamp)on this badly damaged OB. You will then note that the "generic" OB advertises the National Arrow brand and USPC Bicycle and Tiger brands. These same brands are also advertised on the two sides of this OB. Both the inside and outside of the tuck flap advertise the No. 999 Steamboat brand and there remains half of a USPC cancelled TS with the date half missing. This OB reads "Murray's Pat. Finger Recess, No. 434878." without any date.
The fourth photo shows the "generic" version of the joker. and the fifth photo shows the advertising extra card that was included in this package.
Based upon all of this "evidence", does it seem reasonable to you to put the date for this brand at 1890 for the NU4 listing which appears to have been dropped shortly after it's introduction given that it does not appear on the 1890 price list you show on your website, perhaps, due to it's similar characteristics to the Steamboat brand, and 1894 for the NU4a listing which appears to be a transitional issue with the National name removed from all of it's previous positions and possibly used to advertise the similar brands that were carried over after USPC bought NCC until this stock was used up? I would like to hear your thoughts on this subject when you have the time.
Thanks, Toby for all the information. There are also 2 more Owl Jokers that may have come first.....