9-12 Oct 2019 52+Joker convention - Charlotte N C

[Mike Ratledge]

Pix from Day 1 (Thursday) before lunch:

[Mike Ratledge]

More early Thursday: (as usual, the forum here ignores rotation info for pix)

[rousselle]

Lorenzo! Hi!!

(Waves frantically from Seattle.)

[Mike Ratledge]

Here is both the 52+Joker 2019 Club Deck ("The Entertainer") by Lotrek with both cold foil and hot stamped foil ($30 or three for $80) and also a Giovanni Meroni / Bill Kalush collaboration "Exquisite Fortuna" which is individually foiled 3 times 54 cards plus tuck box (yes, a craftsman foiled each deck 165 times) because there was no way to make it work mechanized - $40 club / convention price.

Yes, that is red, gold and holographic silver foil on Exquisite Fortuna.

I will have to break one of the 2019 Club Decks open and show off the court foiling hidden inside - but that will wait for tomorrow. I need some rest!

Alex Chin had his 2019 Card Collectors Day set of three and Kevin Reylik had a North Carolina Dogwood deck, both standard and gilded but I didn't have another $320 cash to cover them all.

Lotrek had a separate time-oriented "Chronos" deck as well, for $60.

Yes, I know - I still can't take good pictures... I will try to do better tomorrow.

[Bradius]

Holy Carp! Thanks for the photos and info. Will the Exquisite Fortuna be available to club members not at the convention, or just convention attendees only?

[Mike Ratledge]

Holy Carp! Thanks for the photos and info. Will the Exquisite Fortuna be available to club members not at the convention, or just convention attendees only?

Bill only had 45 ready to sell I think, and he was aiming for Black Friday to get them available online.

[hsbc]

Can I ask designers that I meet to sign a deck that I bring, or is that a faux pas?

Both of those decks look soooo great

[caniveski]

Lorenzo encouraged this. Remember him posting somewhere on social media....

[Mike Ratledge]

Can I ask designers that I meet to sign a deck that I bring, or is that a faux pas?

Both of those decks look soooo great

Most artists are more than happy to autograph your decks.

[theCapraAegagrus]

Wow. Thanks for the pics and info, Mike!

JR is lookin' old with the gray goatee!

[hsbc]

So I went to the convention! For like an hour Pro tip, there's a dinner break from 5:30-7, so getting there at 5:30 is a baaaad idea And then I had to leave at 8:30 to drive back home, so my schedule wasn't exactly ideal

Then Friday night is also game night so everyone was scattered around instead of at the tables - I brought four decks to get signed but didn't get a chance to talk to Lorenzo, Lotrek, Randy, Paul Ruccio(?), or Sherman, and I never even saw Jackson or Alain Benoit anywhere My fault, not theirs!! It was very much a shame to have to leave so soon. Blaaah They also ran out of nametags Get to the convention when it starts y'all

Okay the good stuff! Like even with just that short time it was awesome, everyone that I did get a chance to talk to was really friendly I talked to Paul of Encarded! I met CBJ (honestly such a great dude! It was great to meet you ) Alex Chin showed me the new NPCCD decks! I met Lee Asher (who was super helpful when I was trying to buy cards before I left!) And I met a magician/collector (Daniel...?) who was kind enough to sell me a Lost Wax at a great price and an Entertainer deck at cost (Didn't meet Lotrek, didn't know where else to buy the deck ) Lorenzo's table had an amaaazing spread of life-size HotRS Tarot card mockups If I had more time I would have tried to talk to him about it for sure, oh man they look so great! I saw tons of decks I'd never seen in person before, and managed to pick up a Mana V3 and a UC Bicycle (from CBJ!), Cartomancer (Alain not Lorenzo), Dogwood (really nice gold on the backs of these), and a Russian novelty cat deck JR had a gallery Intaglio at his table too, who knows when else I'd get to see one in person

Going again next year for sure For more than 90 minutes hopefully!

[hsbc]

(I removed the seal)

[Mike Ratledge]

It was my distinct pleasure to present the 2019 52+Joker Diamond Award for Deck of the Year to Lorenzo Gaggiotti, who also won the 2019 Diamond Award for Artist of the Year.

[Mike Ratledge]

Next year? October 15, 16 & 17 at the Doubletree Green Tree hotel in Pittsburgh. Details soon!

[Mike Ratledge]

52+Joker Club Decks available here:

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