C1906 B Dondorf Rokoko No 158 Playing Cards Deck 52+J Gilt Edges US Tax For Sale

Antique B. Dondorf "Rokoko-Bild" No. 158 Playing Cards

Complete 52-Card Deck + Shushing Jester Joker — Circa 1906–1910

Luxury Gilt (Gold) Edges — Manufactured in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

This is a beautifully preserved, complete antique deck of B. Dondorf "Rokoko" (Rococo Style) No. 158 playing cards.

This specific variation is a highly collectible English-export luxury edition featuring standard A-K-Q-J indices and magnificent, high-end gilded edges.

DECK DETAILS & SPECS:

• Manufacturer: B. Dondorf (Bernhard Dondorf), Frankfurt am Main, Germany

• Pattern Name: Rokoko-Bild No. 158 (Rococo Style)

• Back Design: Elegant pink honeysuckle floral pattern featuring "Frankfurt a. M." printed on the bottom rim.

• Edge Treatment: Factory luxury gold gilded edges.

• Composition: Complete 52-card French-suited deck, plus the highly coveted "shushing" jester Joker card introduced by Dondorf to this line in 1906.

• Box Ephemera: Comes housed in its original "Whist a 52 Blatt" tuck box. The front of the box features an authentic, intact 2-cent U.S. Internal Revenue Playing Cards stamp (issued under the Tariff Act of 1894, valid through 1917), hand-stamped with the "I.R." variance.

• Overall Condition: Very Fine / Excellent Antique Condition.

• Gilded Edges: The gold gilt edges remain beautifully intact and radiant across the cut of the deck, showing excellent luster with minimal rubbing or dulling from age—exceptionally rare for a deck of this vintage.

• Cards: The card faces and backs remain incredibly crisp and bright. The beautiful multi-colored chromolithograph court cards (including the iconic halberd, falconer, and archer Jacks) show outstanding color retention with minimal aging or handling wear. Edges are clean and corners retain strong structure.

• Box: The original tuck box remains structurally sound with its flaps intact. It displays light shelf wear, minor discoloration, and handling wear commensurate with age, alongside the wonderfully preserved historical US revenue tax stamp.