Clown Jokers

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 vintage clowns including a number from the Joker Poster. Notably:

 Top row left and right are 4I E.E. Fairchild, Rochester NY. 1910. 

Top row middle?   

Middle Row left.   5D

The middle row middle is 8A on the poster,  Printed by Criterion Cards for John High Company, 1932. Middle row left?

.

The next page is just clown heads which is scary not so much because of how terrifying they are but there are also some clown heads in the Heads section, a detail that needs attention.  I should either have a clown section inside the heads or a heads-only section in the clowns. To be continued...

  

The top row of clowns below are jack-in-the-boxes. I've wondered sometime if they should be a section. There are also some dog jack-in-the-boxes (sixth page) and four jokers of heads coming out of box in the jokers heads on a stick section. Top row right below is also on the Poster in the 2B spot. He is USPC for Barton Playing Card Co, c1960. His pair is top left.

 

Some clowns can stand on balls and spin plates and juggle. Lets group these clowns together.

Some clowns can balance on a ball upside down!

More juggling clowns.

Baggy old clown has 13 variations on the next two pages. What was his history again? Initial introduction or publisher? 

Mixed in with Baggy Clown, there's five here holding helium balloons.

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?

 

Where else can you find clowns in this collection?

Riding   unicycles.

In the clown / jester section of the two headed (topsy) section.

Some are in the heads section. MY rules over whether clown heads go there or here is not consistent. sigh.

Liquor and Drinking Advertising Jokers

 Advertising on playing cards has been around a long time. Here's a look at my collection of advertising jokers for liquor. There's also plenty for beer (Pilsor and Heinkein below). Not many ads for wine

This next page of jokers combines three big themes in jokers and cards: girls, liquor, and advertising. (not all of them but I'm working on it).

A sweet combination of old and new and different drinks.

Jokers and Bottles: straight and to the point.

Some light colored liquor in this picture.

Sweet mixed drinks and help with recipes!

The top row here speaks to my heart and pallet with Guiness (my drink of choice) and absinthe (when I want to walk on the wild side!)

More sweet drinks and beers (I now realize that I could reorganize this section).

Here are the jokers with advertisements on them:  

1. Casinos 
2. Cigarettes,  Liquor and Drink,  Desserts and Candy  
3. Coca Cola Jokers        
4. Cars  
5. Public Interest Messages
6. Logo type jokers, Geometric Designs  
7. Ads   63      Text based jokers 150
8. Jokers promoting playing cards

Gasoline, Cars, Trucks, Vans, and Other Road Vehicle Jokers

 Here are all the joker advertisements for gasolines, automobiles (cars), trucks, vans, and other road vehicles.

Here are the jokers with advertisements on them:  

1. Casinos 
2. Cigarettes, Liquor and Drink,  Desserts and Candy 
3. Coca Cola Jokers     
4. Cars (this article) 
5. Public Interest Messages
6. Logo type jokers, Geometric Designs 162
7. Ads   63      Text based jokers 150
8. Jokers promoting playing cards

Desert and Candy Jokers

 Here are those delicious jokers with candy (mostly M&Ms) and other desserts.

Here are the jokers with advertisements on them:  

1. Casinos 
2. Cigarettes, Liquor and Drink,  Desserts (this article)  
3. Coca Cola Jokers    
4. Cars 35
5. Public Interest Messages
6. Logo type jokers, Geometric Designs 162
7. Ads   63      Text based jokers 150
8. Jokers promoting playing cards

Cigarettes Ads on Joker Playing Cards

 

Here are the jokers printed with ads: 

1. Casinos 
2.  Cigarettes (this article), Drink, Desserts  97 + 18
3. Coca Cola Jokers   34   
4. Cars 35
5. Public Interest Messages
6. Logo type jokers, Geometric Designs 162
7. Ads   63      Text based jokers 150
8. Jokers promoting playing cards

Car and Motorcycle Jokers: vehicles: Travel

Car and Motorcycle Jokers: vehicles: Travel. There are 41 different jokers in this section on car and motorcycle jokers.

The Vehicle section of Travel section is organized into: 

1. Vehicles: Sea & Air, Trains, Cars & Bikes (motorcycles)
2. Bicycle Jokers, Skater Jokers, Unicycle Jokers  

Other parts of the travel section include:

1. American places and Americana,  Congress Jokers 

Sometimes I wonder if I should combine this with the advertising section that deals with cars. I haven't even photographed and cataloged that yet, so once that is done, I'll give it a look...

Travel Jokers: Vehicles: Air, Sea, and Translation

Travel Jokers: Vehicles: Air, Sea, and Translation

Here are the duplicates for trading both from the vehicles Air and Sea Section but also from trains.

 The travel section is now split into:

1. Vehicles: Sea & Air, Trains, Cars & Bikes (motorcycles)
2. Bicycle Jokers, Skater Jokers, Unicycle Jokers  

The American section has American places and Americana,  Congress Jokers .