{"product_id":"kaiserliche-spielkarten-aus-osterreich-zwei-decks-mit-doppeladler-steuermarke-um-1900","title":"Imperial Playing Cards from Austria – Two Decks with Double-Headed Eagle Tax Stamp, circa 1900","description":"\u003cp\u003eBefore the dual monarchy collapsed, Austria was already playing with precisely these kinds of cards: two complete decks, 108 cards in total, whose design has lost none of its opulence to this day. Raised swords, flowers in ladies' hands, gold and crimson in dense geometric patterns – a card image such as was common in Central Europe around the turn of the century.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eThe Proof on the Ace of Hearts\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThose who look closely will find a tiny \u003cstrong\u003etax stamp with the two-headed imperial and royal eagle\u003c\/strong\u003e on the Ace of Hearts – mandatory on every sold deck of cards in the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. Since the Republic of Austria switched to a single-headed eagle from 1919 onwards, it can be deduced that these cards are older than the Republic itself. A precise year remains open without expert knowledge; the range is approximately from the 1900s to the 1910s. Below the stamp, the manufacturer's mark \"UNION\" can be found.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eTwo Decks, One Find\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey came into the house via a flea market in Eisenstadt – together, in a single, clearly aged cardboard box. One deck has a pink back, the other a deep blue back, both with the same floral border pattern.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eDimensions \u0026amp; Scope\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003e2 complete decks of 52 cards + Jokers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003eTotal: 108 cards\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003eBox: approx. 9.5 × 6.5 × 2 cm (estimated)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eCondition\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStill playable, with honest signs of age and use: rounded corners, slight yellowing, occasional small creases or a fine tear. No repairs, no tape – pure original material. The box shows the same patina as the cards and could well be contemporary or even original, although this cannot be proven with absolute certainty.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePrice is for 1 set (2 decks).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"text-align:center;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#7b3f00;\"\u003eEisenstadt, a table full of trinkets – these two card decks lay there together, as they probably had for a long time.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOn the Ace of Hearts, the old double eagle still sits, an emblem from a time when an imperial crown lay over Vienna and no one suspected how short-lived it would be.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAn empire passed. The card game remained.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThings with a soul · VintageAustriaShop\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"VintageAustriaShop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57252962206071,"sku":"20057","price":145.3,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0993\/4071\/4359\/files\/Spielkarten-Vintage-54-Karten_1.jpg?v=1782922988","url":"https:\/\/vintageaustriashop.com\/en\/products\/kaiserliche-spielkarten-aus-osterreich-zwei-decks-mit-doppeladler-steuermarke-um-1900","provider":"VintageAustriaShop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}