This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/25/2023
[GAMBLING SUPPLIES] Collection of Gambling Supply House Trade Catalogs. 1910s – 50s. Eighteen profusely illustrated catalogs offering a variety of crooked and square gambling devices, including dice, cards, chips, roulette wheels, “club room furniture,” carnival games, “magical goods,” “amusement specialties,” slot machines, trade stimulators, and all other manner of gaming devices for use in casinos, fraternal club houses, and on fairgrounds. Manufacturers represented include Hunt & Co., K.C. Card Co., T.R. King, S.F. Card Co., Magic Novelty Co., Herrmann Magical Co., H.C. Evans, Caille Bros., Optician Brothers, and others. All 8vos or smaller, bound in publisher’s wraps, and profusely illustrated. Generally very good condition, with some chips or tears to wrappers (and two lacking wraps entirely). Nice lot. As the cover of one early K.C. Card Co. list offered here states, the products offered in these catalogs were frequently advertised with a widely-ignored disclaimer: “Supplies, books, and tools for theatrical, sleight-of-hand, magical entertaining purposes. And for the exposé of gambling methods.” In other words, while a set of marked cards or loaded dice were clearly meant for use in barrooms, on carnival midways, and in smoke-filled card rooms for nefarious purposes, their makers would accept no responsibility for said swindling.