Tiger vs. Snake - Our New Deck Is Here!

When you think of vintage matchbox artwork, do you think of playing cards? From the 1840s onwards, as mass production of matches spread across Europe and Asia, the matchbox label became one of the most vibrant and underappreciated forms of commercial art in history. Manufacturers quickly discovered that the small rectangular label on the front of a box was the only thing separating their product from every other box of identical matches on the shelf. The result was an explosion of colour printing: bold, flat, vivid lithographs depicting animals, landscapes, national emblems, sporting scenes and mythological creatures, produced in millions and largely discarded without a second thought.

Like what you see? Click HERE to shop Tiger vs. Snake now - or read on to find out more!

The tiger was a recurring favourite. Strong, instantly recognisable, carrying connotations of power and danger across both Eastern and Western traditions, it appeared on matchbox labels from Sweden to Japan to India. So did the snake - equally iconic, equally loaded with symbolism, coiling across labels that were designed to be glanced at for half a second and remembered for years.

We found that combination irresistible.

The Deck

Tiger vs. Snake is our newest deck of playing cards - and one of our most unique & fun. Where many of our collections carry a deep narrative or historical restoration, this one leads with instinct. A majestic tiger and a cunning snake, locked in a clash for supremacy, rendered in the bold flat style of vintage matchbox and cigarette card illustration. Hand-drawn from scratch right here in Manchester - as always!

The back design is a one-way full-colour illustration - a deliberate choice that gives the deck a strong directional identity and makes it immediately distinctive when fanned or spread on a table. The tuckbox is printed on special luxury paper. The cards themselves are printed on industry-leading WJPC 300gsm linen stock - a premium finish optimised for cuts, fans and shuffles, with a tactile quality that suits the bold visual identity of the deck perfectly.

Tiger vs. Snake is a deck that does not ask you to think too hard. It asks you to look. The illustration does the work - bold, confident, unambiguous - in the tradition of the artists who filled millions of matchbox labels with exactly that energy a century and a half ago. We think they were on to something! This is our tribute to that era - if you are not familiar with it, simply Google "vintage matchbox artwork" and enjoy browsing what comes up!

We also created an exclusive green gilded edition for our Patreon members - limited to 100x units - each individually numbered. If you are interested in our most exclusive & collectable decks find out more about becoming a member HERETiger vs. Snake will be available from mid September and can be purchased by clicking HERE