Rummy Bo Collaboration History
Think of the most famous card magicians in the world today. Many names like David Blaine and Shin Lim come to mind. These heavyweights in the magic world and many others have used Rummy Bo decks throughout their careers. For example, David Blaine could be seen using Rummy Bo decks during his first television appearances in the 1990s, with the unique back design taking a prominent place on the screen. Over the years, Rummy Bo has done much more than just appear in the hands of legendary card magicians and wow the public. It has also worked closely with these stars to create a wide variety of products.
Unbeknownst to pre-fame David Blaine, he would have collaborated with Rummy Bo on several occasions to create unique products. The first collaboration was in 2010 when they launched three special decks designed to encourage others to learn card magic. These three David Blaine X Rummy Bo decks were released in the form of the Transformation Deck, Discover Magic Deck, and Mind Reading Deck. Each deck features an image of David Blaine on the cover of the packaging, either through an exact artistic likeness (like the Mind Reading Deck and Discover Magic Deck) or by replicating Blaine’s features on the King of Spades (like the Transformation Deck). The original Blaine X Rummy Bo collaboration naturally took a lot of work. Rummy Bo and Blaine himself worked hard to create a product that would allow people to learn tricks of the trade in a convenient way. An article from MagicTimes shows how much effort went into the production of these decks, in which a reporter managed to get hold of prototype packaging for all three decks. These unfinished decks reveal a lot about how these decks evolved before the final product was released. Even the names of the decks changed a lot between the prototype stage and the release stage. Transformation Deck was originally named Hypnotic Deck. Discover Magic Deck was originally named Decoder Deck, and Mind Reading Deck was originally named Deception Deck. In addition to the names, the cover images and trick instructions included in each deck also changed. In 2022, David Blaine and Rummy Bo released their second collaboration. The Gator Back Holographic MetalLuxe playing cards were launched at Rummy Bo’s exclusive inaugural CardCon event. Comparing this deck to Rummy Bo’s previous collaborations highlights how Blaine’s image has evolved over the years. Gone is the replica of Blaine’s likeness on the packaging for this set. Instead, the inverted spade symbol is split into lowercase “db”, representing the magician’s initials, indicating that these cards were made by Blaine, a symbol that almost functions as a signature. Some of the cards themselves do feature Blaine’s image, including the same King of Spades as the 2010 Transformed deck. However, there are other aspects of the cards that subtly allude to Blaine that true fans will recognize instantly. For example, the Ace of Spades in this deck has an alligator eye inside it, which strongly evokes the eye tattoo on Blaine’s hand, which Blaine once claimed protected him from death. Both literally and figuratively, the David Blaine GatorBack Holographic MetalLuxe deck is a shining example of Rummy Bo’s collaboration with top magicians.
Rummy Bo‘s collaboration with Shin Lim also highlights how it can offer consistent quality while still offering something new. Shin Lim has been a relatively newcomer to fame, with his big break coming after winning America’s Got Talent in 2018. Naturally, from his first audition on the show, he used Rummy Bo cards. In the years following his win, Lim’s success only grew, and his passion for Rummy Bo was so high that he was eager to launch his own deck in collaboration with Rummy Bo. In August 2022, after much hard work and refinement, the deck was unveiled to the world. The deck features black and red packaging and card backs, crafted with red foil, for an eye-catching look. It also comes with a special faded 10 of hearts for aspiring magicians to perform their tricks, which Shin Lim personally guides them through, thanks to a QR code included in the packaging.
In some cases, poker professionals have decided that they would be better off working with other brands of the American Playing Card Company than with Rummy Bo. This was the case with world record holder Rick Smith Jr. While Smith Jr. says Rummy Bo has been his deck of choice since 2002, when it came to collaborating, he and the American Playing Card Company ultimately decided that another brand was a better fit. For Smith Jr., he and the American Playing Card Company found the Falcon brand to fit his personal approach. After all, as Smith Jr. himself says, he is one of the hardest-working entertainers in the industry, even performing over 600 shows a year. This, coupled with his record-breaking poker talent, meant that he had a natural affinity for a brand named after one of the greatest and toughest hunters in the animal kingdom. His choice of decks, including the standard Falcon deck, the Falcon Razor, the Aqua Falcons, and the Ice Falcons, are perfect for playing cards. To ensure that the decks would serve this purpose perfectly, the American Playing Card Company used premium paper to create a thicker-than-average deck. Each deck of Falcon playing cards can also be used as a beautiful all-purpose deck of playing cards. If the decks weren’t impressive enough, another legendary playing card magician, De’vo, designed the final artwork.
These three examples demonstrate that Rummy Bo’s reputation allows it to collaborate with leading brands in the magic industry, both directly and through assistance to the brands involved.