Sherms's Super Playing Cards Offer a Clue!

Robert Sherman (1892 - 1969) was a magician who ran several enterprises including, as relevant here, a magic and puzzle manufacturing business located in Bridgeport, Connecticut known as "Sherms."  Sherman had a fascinating magic career, which included running the Martinka magic shop, partnering with Hardeen Jr.,  inventing numerous tricks and designing effects and promotions for Howard Thurston, Ed Wynn and Eddie Cantor.  His career could fill a book, and in fact did: historian David Haversat wrote a volume entitled Sherms.

 But it is a particular Sherms product that inspired this post.   Recently, I came across a card box being auctioned by Meir Yedid on eBay, which caught my eye.   The item features a card back design which seemed familiar - and a quick search of this site revealed several cards belonging to Chet Karkut that utilize this design.   And there are most certainly others. 

Was this design proprietary to Sherms?  Well, examination of the card box suggests as much.  As the detail photo shows, Sherms claimed exclusive trademark rights to the back design (as well as the case and Ace of Spades).   And dating the design is quite interesting: the Linking Ring for November 1927 provides a review of the deck, indicating that they had just been put on the market.  Two months earlier, that magazine provided a fascinating teaser, suggesting the Sherms deck was forthcoming, and the company claimed that the "plates alone cost $5,500."

So, card scholars and magic historians, here's another back design that can be used to help identify those throwout cards....

Photo courtesy Meir Yedid.