SALE PENDING W.P. Jeffries Co. “Jeffries Championship Fight Souvenir Cards” Playing Cards, Boxing Scenes and Fighters, c.1909

Antiques : Playing Cards U.S : Jeffries "Championship Fight" Boxing

 

Very good deck of “Jeffries Championship Fight Souvenir Cards,” published by W.P. Jeffries Co. of Los Angeles c.1909. The deck features marvelous oval photographs of then famous fighters, active and historical, and scenes from celebrated fights. The great heavyweight, James J. Jeffries, is on the backs of the cards, smiling and wearing a bowler hat. There are wonderful photographs of John L. Sullivan (King of Diamonds), “Gentleman Jim” Corbett (King of Hearts --famous for having defeated Sullivan), and a very young Jack Dempsey (Jack of Clubs). Frankly, the presence of Jack Dempsey in the deck really makes me wonder if the date always given for these cards – 1909 – is correct. Dempsey would only have been 14 or 15 at the time.

The deck is complete at 52 cards, plus 1 Joker. They are wide, measuring 89mm x 63mm, with gold gilt around. The cards are currently housed in the inner box of a telescope type box. I do not know if this was the original inner box.

The cards are in very good condition, and but for light soiling throughout the deck, it would probably be possible to describe the condition of them as excellent; approximately 25% of the gold gilt remains. The cards shown are representative of the condition of the cards as a whole. There is a slight crease at one corner of the King of Spades (Tom Sharkey), separately pictured.

Reference: Dawson, The Hochman Encyclopedia of American Playing Cards, p.234, SE6.

Thanks for visiting.

Item ID: T0000947