I use to be irritated by clown jokers. I thought they should have jesters on them. But through the years, my sensitivities have changed and I'm now a big fan of clown jokers. Which is good since I have a ton of them. (BTW, even though this article was just published in Feb, I'm updating in April since I added and rearranged the clown jokers.)
This first set is classic old clown jokers of which three are on the Joker Poster printed by the Playing Card Museum.
Want details on which ones from above are in the Joker Poster? The clown with the banjo or mandolin (top center) was first made by King Press c1937. It's MSN51 King Press, P159 of Hochman and also appears as Imperial King Press. NJ c 1935. The parachuting clown (top row right) is in the top row of the poster and is a USPCC special edition circa 1950. The clown with the goose and the balloon (bottom center) is another USPCC special edition c 1935.
Here's more classic old clown jokers or modern ones in the vintage style. The two clown heads in the middle row are from a Steamboat deck made by Novelty Playing Cards in 1935 (which I know because he's 5H on the Joker Poster).
More juggling clowns.
These clowns are a mixed lot. Two of them belong perhaps in the cartoon section since Bob Terwilliger of Simpsons fame is sort of slumming it by hanging out with these clowns.
I tried to group the clowns with similar painted-on faces. Working on it still...
Here’s some cheesy cheapo clowns.
More cheeping cheesy...
I like this next set and I’d like to group the two holding balloons with the five holding balloons on a previous pages. Another big reorg? Can I manage the time, trauma, tedium, and terror of another reorg?