Calder Playing Cards
One of the most influential artists of the twentieth century, Alexander Calder (1898–1976) disrupted traditional boundaries in art with his suspended abstract mobiles and his monumental stabiles. Removing sculpture from the pedestal, he invited viewers to experience his art directly, a concept that extends to his performative pieces, furniture design, jewelry, and even his paintings. Calder Playing Cards are based on a set of vivid gouache paintings from the 1970s known as the Card Player series. Many of the cards are direct reproductions from those paintings, with the striped back also pulled from them. All letters and numbers are in Calder’s own handwriting. Since court cards were not included in the original images, the faces for the Jack, King, and Queen were extracted from another series of gouaches that Calder painted around the same period. Every detail of this deck was faithfully reproduced to celebrate the enduring legacy of Calder, the iconic master of innovation in art.
| Stock & Finish | FSC-Certified Proprietary Casino-Grade Linen Paper (Q1 Quality) |
| Coating | Air-Cushion Magic Finish for Flawless Gliding & Fanning |
| Tuck Case | Premium Soft-Touch Heavyweight Stock with Multi-Level Gold Foil & Embossing |
| Card Count | 54 Custom Illustrated Cards (52 Poker + 2 Bespoke Jokers) |
| Tax Stamp / Seal | Individually Numbered Custom Arcana Vault Adhesive Seal |
| Cut | Traditional Master Cut for Seamless Faros & Shuffles |
| Dimensions | Standard Poker Size (2.5" x 3.5" / 63.5 x 88.9 mm) |
| Manufacturer | Printed by The United States Playing Card Company (Erlanger, KY) |
Curator Notes: Calder Playing Cards
One of the most influential artists of the twentieth century, Alexander Calder (1898–1976) disrupted traditional boundaries in art with his suspended abstract mobiles and his monumental stabiles. Removing sculpture from the pedestal, he invited viewers to experience his art directly, a concept that extends to his performative pieces, furniture design, jewelry, and even his paintings. Calder Playing Cards are based on a set of vivid gouache paintings from the 1970s known as the Card Player series. Many of the cards are direct reproductions from those paintings, with the striped back also pulled from them. All letters and numbers are in Calder’s own handwriting. Since court cards were not included in the original images, the faces for the Jack, King, and Queen were extracted from another series of gouaches that Calder painted around the same period. Every detail of this deck was faithfully reproduced to celebrate the enduring legacy of Calder, the iconic master of innovation in art.
Each production run of this artifact is executed in limited atelier batches. Hand-assembled and calibrated with precision tools to ensure that physical resistance, kinetic balance, and aesthetic presentation meet the stringent heirloom standards of Arcana Vault.
Domestic US Shipping & Master Guarantee
Complimentary Domestic US Shipping: Orders containing over $75 in curios qualify for free fully insured carbon-neutral standard delivery (FedEx Priority / USPS Ground Advantage).
Dispatch Time: Orders placed before 2:00 PM Pacific Time dispatch the same business day from our San Francisco fulfillment center.
30-Day Master Guarantee: If this artifact fails to deliver utter delight, you may return it in its original archival packaging within 30 days for a full refund.
Flawless faro shuffles and fans. The custom court illustrations are deeply atmospheric and full of subtle hidden symbolism.
Astounding cardistry deck. The edge work and registration are razor sharp. Highly recommend grabbing a pair before they sell out.
As a collector with over 300 decks, this immediately earned a spot in my top five. The paper stock feels luxurious and snappy.
