E-Z Hold playing card holders, made by Are-Jay Game Co. Ohio, U.S.A., c.1970s
Trump indicator c.1920-1940s
The E-Z Hold playing card holders are plastic – the trump indicator is bakelite [with a xylonite interior face.] the E-Z Hold playing card holders have an unfortunately placed knob – right in the middle of the king’s face. The trump indicator is elegant, restrained, classic. This is a kind of yin/yang collection.
Both appeal to me in different ways. Card playing is sometimes taken WAY too seriously, so I like the knob in the middle of the king’s face. And when I am winning at cards [rare occasion] I like to have a bakelite piece to remind me what’s trumps [easy to forget in the excitement of maybe actually winning.]
I can’t ascertain where the trump indicator was made – unusually for bakelite, it isn’t indicated on the back of the piece. From research and from the fact that the piece is unusual in that it combines xylonite [even earlier form of thermoplastic] with bakelite – puts it in the first half of last century.
For sale: Trump indicator: $AUD45 [sold] and E-Z card holders: $AUD10 [still available!]
you bakelite addict you
guilty as charged! have you seen my box brownie cameras? and the fafix projector? TOTALLY addicted.
No! I must look that addiction up. Sadly, you have so many collections that resemble mine, just Australian style. Sometimes I swear you and I are twins in what fancies ourselves.