Providence Playing Cards by the 1914
$15.00
https://www.murphysmagic.com/product.aspx?id=68981

The Hype:
The eye of Providence

All seeing
All knowing
A symbol of the awakened
A call to view the universe through eyes of creation
We look
But we do not see
Only when the light of the soul blinds the eye of the ego
Will truth be set free

The 1914 is proud to present its flagship luxury Providence Playing Cards. Printed by the Expert Playing Card Company on their world-renowned premium card stock, Providence oozes class and style with its tantalizing metallic ink and gold foiling on each and every card.

Designed by Destino and inspired by the secrets of the universe, Providence represents mystery; The embodiment of both chaos and order; Infinite sequences of 52 ancient symbols that glide poetically between the hands and glisten in the light.

Housed in an embossed sideways tuck-box, Providence cards are traditionally cut for smooth handlings and perfect faro shuffles. Illuminate your mind and stimulate the senses with a brand new premium and tactile experience.

My Take:
There is an interesting story as to how the 1914 got its name. The only recording of Harry Houdini's voice on October 29, 1914. The name is a tribute to a great magician.

The deck is great quality but not printed by USPCC. It was made by the Expert Playing card Company, a service which will custom make cards to your order. Before I even opened the deck, it was obvious to me that I had my hands on something special. The box feels different in your hands and looks very classy. One thing that I really love is that the box opens from the side and not the ends. The box (and the backs of the cards) are printed with gold foil on a black background. Quite a stunning looking deck.

There has been a ton of decks coming out the past few years. Some of them are really beautiful but audiences seem to suspect a deck that is too different from what they are used to. In my opinion, a lot of them are good for collectors but I can't see the value in using them for performance. I don't think this will be a problem with the Providence deck. It can be examined thoroughly. In fact, the cards are so classy looking, your volunteer would be happy to have them in his hands to examine.

I tried a number of false cuts and the deck behaved superbly with each one. The cards have a nice and comfortable feel right out of the box. The tuck box itself is a work of art. This deck will definitely add a touch of class to your performance.

To tell you the truth, I have got a number of decks in to review and after a while, you think "What can I say? 52 cards, a neat design and you might even get a gaffed card." This deck is going to find a place in my pocket when I go out. I used it for a routine at lunch with some friends today and they were most impressed. Like I said, the card and box are gorgeous but not different enough to arouse suspicion.

Very nice card work in demo video by Jeremy Griffith but no instructions. He does know his way around a deck though.

Conclusion: If you collect decks, you need this one. If not and you only do magic with cards, you also need one.