SALE PENDING Double Deck Metropolitan Opera Guild “Opera” Playing Cards, Maker Unknown, Patricia Zipprodt Designs, c.1980

Collectibles : Playing Cards U.S : Met "Opera"

 

Mint and very beautiful double deck of cards made in the U.S., maker unknown, for The Metropolitan Opera Guild c.1980, featuring original designs of the late Patricia Zipprodt, famed Broadway costume designer. During her incredible career Zipprodt designed costumes for more than 50 productions, working with such Broadway legends as Jerome Robbins, Hal Prince, Gower Champion, David Merrick and Bob Fosse. She received 3 Tony Awards (nominated 10 times), and in 1992 was inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame.

Zipprodt also found time to design for the Joffrey Ballet, the Houston Ballet, the American Ballet Theater, the New York City Opera, and the Metropolitan Opera, and her professional affiliation with the Met no doubt led to her involvement with these playing cards. The court cards and Joker are characters from famous operas, and they are striking indeed, especially in their costumes. The backs are a stylized representation of the arches at the front of the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, perhaps once a logo of the Met. There are 52 cards in each deck plus 2 Jokers (Rigoletto), plus an insert card that identifies each of the characters. It should be noted that the two-sided courts have slightly different designs on each side – the same character, but differently portrayed. They are bridge size, measuring 90mm x 58mm, and at present are in a hard plastic box. I doubt very much that the box is original, and the cards are a tight fit for it.

The cards are in mint condition; one deck is still sealed, and the other was opened to be inspected and photographed. The plastic case is in very good condition, with a few scratches and a little clouding, but without chips, cracks or problems.

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Item ID: T0000915