Cryptids Playing Cards: Black Shuck

Black Shuck - the spectral hound of the East Anglian borderlands - has haunted the lanes, marshes and coastal paths of Suffolk and Norfolk for centuries. And now he makes his fiery appearance in the form of a premium deck of hand-drawn vintage playing cards.

The card backs are intricate, classic and illustrated entirely by hand - a traditional two-way monochrome pattern rich with Shuck iconography. Subtle modern details break the traditional rectangle: spades at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions, and cut triangles at 12 and 6 o'clock add visual interest and a contemporary flair that looks particularly spectacular in a fan or spread.

The court cards are unique, hand-drawn artefacts - derived from an ancient set of one-way faces found on a British deck of playing cards hundreds of years old, expertly redrawn into perfectly symmetrical two-way designs. Bold reds, yellows and blues on aged paper. Chunky antique pips, refined indices and warm vintage tones throughout. Hearts and diamonds feature a two-tone 50/50 pip, a nod to famous decks of a bygone era.

The tuckbox is printed inside and out on a soft matte card stock, featuring bold woodblock print style artwork in a striking palette of black and red set against aged paper - evoking the broadsheets and pamphlets of the 16th century that first documented Shuck's terrifying appearance. A custom stamp sticker seal completes the presentation.

Each ace features an enlarged central pip. The Ace of Spades depicts Black Shuck as he first appeared during that fateful storm at St. Mary's Church, Bungay, in 1577 - a moment of genuine British folklore history, hand-drawn and immortalised in playing card form. The two Jokers in this deck form a diptych - place them side by side to reveal a giant woodblock-style illustration of the beast himself.

Illustrated by hand while embracing modern print technology. No AI, no shortcuts. Custom enough to be collectable, standard enough to be usable - in every hand, every fan, every shuffle.

SIZE POKER
MATERIAL CARD STOCK
ORIGIN CHINA

A.HAINES

A Husband & Wife team based in the North West of England born out of a life-long passion for all things playing cards combined with an eye for timeless, beautiful design. Inspired by the giant manufacturers of old: the likes of Hart, Dougherty, Goodall and De La Rue to name but a few.