This two deck set was purchased in Israel about 1960 and was donated to the collection in 1973. It was manufactured by the Lion Playing Cards Factory Ltd., Philon Street, Tel Aviv, Israel.
The cardbox (pictured on the left) is 10cm long x 14cm wide x 2.3cm thick. The lid is attached to the bottom along the back edge. The inside of the lid has the manufacturing information printed on it. The bottom of the inside of the box is divided in half by a cardboard divider.
There are 55 cards in each of the two decks. Each card is 8.8cm long x 6.3cm wide. The card backs (illustrated in the upper right in row five) have a vine-like design with the 12 Zodiac signs. One deck has red backs, the other has blue backs. The cards use the international suit indicators which appear in all four corners of each card. Numbered cards are from Ace through 10. The Ace of Spades (row five, second card) is elaborately printed and features a Star of David - the Israeli national symbol. Each deck includes 3 Jokers (not illustrated) with the Hebrew name "Asmodai" (printed in English) in the upper left, and the English word "Joker" in the upper right and lower left.
Face cards are double headed court-figures with stylized pictures of biblical personages. The name of each person is printed in Hebrew on each card, and is translated and printed in English on the opposite side of each card.
The characters chosen for each suit have significance for one another in specific biblical stories. The following is a list of these personages:
Spades: King - Saul; Queen - Judith; Jack - Jonathan
Hearts: King - Solomon; Queen - Sheba; Jack - Abalom
Diamonds: King - David; Queen - Bath-Sheba; Jack - Job
Clubs: King - Ahasuerus; Queen - Esther; Jack - Harbona
NOTE: This page was originally created and posted on the Web on February 25, 1998. Subsequently it has been modified and periodically updated. Last update: June 13, 2010