Division Playing Cards

[MurphysMagic]

Division Playing Cards is ideal for cardists and magicians alike who play with perceptions.

These cards are a geometric collection of shapes celebrating the artist, Escher, and his concepts of cubic space division (hence the name). Perfect for flourishing and spreads.

If you are obsessed with how the eye can fool the brain, how boundlessness can be achieved within a limited framework, get your hands on a deck of Division Playing Cards.

Printed by U.S. Playing Card Company
Custom seal
Includes 2 gaffed cards
Designed by Nick Vlow
Produced by Danny Weiser and Murphy's Magic

See this beautiful deck in action here: https://www.murphysmagic.com/Product.aspx?id=62258" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[theCapraAegagrus]

Gross. Not worth $10/deck.

[PipChick]

Some pics:

Division Playing Cards is ideal for cardists and magicians alike who play with perceptions.

These cards are a geometric collection of shapes celebrating the artist, Escher, and his concepts of cubic space division (hence the name). Perfect for flourishing and spreads.

Also, I just gotta say that there's very little of anything about this deck design that evokes M.C. Escher for me - the muted palette and geometric color blocking feels more reminiscent of Louise Langgaard's work specifically, but could also be evocative of any other number of great geometric artists...

But M.C. Esher... not even in the slightest considering very few of his works actually ever feature any use of color at all, and if so, only a very few. Sure, many included geometric forms - it was paramount of his work as they were largely mathematically-inspired and used to study impossible objects/shapes & explore themes in tessellation, symmetry & perspective - but the optical illusions he was able to create & achieve with them is very, very different from how this deck was design. Frankly, I don't see any inspiration drawn from M.C. Escher in the designs at all... have the designers even seen his work before?

I'm sorry, but just droppin' some geometric shapes down and claimin' it as a "celebration of the artist, Escher" is just sorta flippant and superficial as it's obviously only a thinly veiled attempt to draw interest to this deck by attaching it's overly simplistic & basic design to him and the depths of his work because there's nothing else worth noting.

It's a shame because Escher and his work were largely dismissed by the art community for a great majority of his life and only really appeared in the technical papers of the scientists & mathematicians he worked with; so I wonder how he'd feel, having finally earned the respect and highly regarded acclaim of the world for his incomparable art, to now see his name so cheaply & flagrantly used to sell a deck of mass produced, mediocre playing cards at 10 bucks a pop... just some thoughts.

A deck that truly drew inspiration from M.C. Escher I think is best exemplified in 2018's NPCCD series; now I'm sure Alex Chin's not the only one to have ever made an attempt at taking on such a complex theme, but so far, I do think he has been the only one to actually do such an amazing job in executing it in its design and it's clear that he devoted a lot of time and thought to really delve deep and capture the essence of Escher & his work.

[hsbc]

The back looks like a slice of cake

[rousselle]

I agree that these are not very Escher. I disagree with TwoPiece, though, in that I feel that these are not bad (or, in his word, "gross.") A few years ago, I'd absolutely have picked these up. Not even a question.

These days, though, they simply don't compare to the level that many amazing card artists and designers are playing at. The price point is lower than most custom decks these days (I mean, really, this hobby is getting *stupid* expensive), which is fine, but still... they aren't just competing with other $10 decks to get space in my collection; they are competing with all the amazing decks out there, and several better decks can be had for just a couple bucks more. For that matter, there are several decks out there that are better, but cost a couple bucks fewer.

By way of comparison, Randy Butterfield's Pollack (sp? too lazy to look it up right now) decks are truer to their named inspiration, feature similarly re-colored-but-otherwise-standard courts, and are coming in a couple bucks cheaper. Are they less expensive because they aren't going through a middle man? (After all, Murphy's is selling these to retailers at a lower price point than the MSRP, just as Randy and his KS project partner are selling the Pollack decks to us at a lower price point.) Probably. Still. If I was at a card shop with $11 in my pocket (given sales tax, yo) and there was a deck of these and a deck of Randy's Pollacks featured at the front counter, I'd look at these and say, "not bad" and then put my money down for the Pollacks.

I think these will likely find an audience, and I think that's fine. Maybe this designer will have more opportunities down the line to improve his craft and he'll eventually produce something that demands to join my collection. I look forward to that. In the meantime, I'll give this a gentle pass.

[theCapraAegagrus]

I agree that these are not very Escher. I disagree with TwoPiece, though, in that I feel that these are not bad (or, in his word, "gross.") A few years ago, I'd absolutely have picked these up. Not even a question...

You disagree with math!?

Standard Courts + Ugly Colors = Gross

[venomatic]

I don't think I'll get these myself, but I'm almost tempted. The courts do have a bit of customization, as shown in the TheGentlemanWake's review

[EndersGame]

Does anyone know the story behind the custom courts from this deck?

There are daggers, an arrow, a key, and more. The King of Diamonds seems to be holding an object in his hand that I haven't been able to identify.

[Timmargh]

[…] The King of Diamonds seems to be holding an object in his hand that I haven't been able to identify.

Looks like a small coin to me.

[EndersGame]

It just seems like a somewhat odd assortment of objects.

I can't seem to figure a concept that brings them together or a theme that connects them... unless there isn't one.

A single coin would make it seem like an even more weird collection.

[rousselle]

Looks more like a ring to me.

...one ring to find them, and in the darkness, bind them!

[MagikFingerz]

Looks more like a ring to me.

...one ring to find them, and in the darkness, bind them!

Well, the KoD DOES have only one eye

[STLBluesNut]

i just figure he collects marbles

[shermjack]

i just figure he collects marbles

Maybe he lost them and has just started to find them again?