Can someone tell me who originated the Rainbow Deck -- or if the Rainbow Deck was inspired by some other effect that uses cards with all different backs? I'm marketing a new trick inspired by RD and want to give proper credit.

Thanks!

I'm not 100% positive, but I believe that the original RD is credited to Randy Wakeman.

The idea of a deck full of all different backs goes back much further than Randy Wakeman, although I remember when he marketed his deck by that name. I think his may have been the first specifically printed for that purpose, but I remember a trick that predates his offering that was basically a clock trick with cards. The trick was assembled from 52 decks with different back designs. At that time it was quite easy to buy bridge decks, and they all had unusual colorful back designs (flowers, puppy dogs, cars, etc.). You can still find them if you look around for 50 cents to a dollar a deck.

I know someone who may know the trick's origin better than I do, so I'll try to give him a call soon.

Greetings Mallusionist;
maybe this can help....Many years ago when I was assembling rainbow decks for Frank Garcia for his lectures, Frank told me that Senator Crandall was the first to put out a rainbow deck.
Around the late 70's if memory serves me right, a company somewhere in Michigan put out a rainbow deck and Frank allowed them to use his handling.
Their deck was bridge size but the colors ran all the way to the edges and Frank told me that he was not pleased with how that turned out. Anyway that deck sold for quite some time.
When Frank would go to do a lecture, he would call and have me make up some rainbow decks for him in poker size. Through the 70's and 80's white bordered poker size decks were fairly easy to come by, you had to look to find them, but they were out there. Many of the backs were casino backs with white borders, hence the Golden Nugget, Jerry's Nugget, Las Vegas Club, The Sands, Binion's and more. I made the last 25 decks for Frank about a year before he died.
The decks were getting harder and harder to come by at that time since most casinos went to bee style backs, and eliminated the white borders. Frank gave me permission to make the rainbow deck and to supply his handling with it, but the variety of decks needed were getting more scarce all the time. That is why I would have it available only from time to time.
The problem was getting enough white bordered backs that were different but had the faces all matching white without yellowing from the age of some of the decks.
In 1994 Randy Wakeman released his Rainbow Deck, and then supplied a book of tricks to do with it as it gave 4 bonus cards that were very useful as well.
Randy did two decks, and he may still have some available.

Not long after Randy had his deck printed, Joker Deluxe in France put out a very similar style deck which also included similar bonus cards. That deck was printed by Carta Mundie in Belgium.

I had always wanted to do a Rainbow Deck in poker size, with all the faces being Bicycle, and having backs that were all different designs and colors, but I wanted the back designs to be real cards. I assembled and created what I feel is the ultimate in Rainbow decks, and put in 4 gaffed cards to go with it. This deck was printed by the U.S.Playing Card Co. last year and has done extremely well. I am somewhat sad that Frank is no longer with us to see this deck as I know he would have liked it.

But as far as where the Rainbow deck idea started, Frank felt that Senator Crandall was the first. It could well be that it may even pre-date him, but that is the earliest I have been able to track it.

I remember a clock trick that Michael mentioned above that was put out called "Now Is The Hour" it used a packet of about 26 cards instead of a full deck, and was quite a good trick.
The principle to that trick however was put out earlier by Ken Brooke in London. it was called Clockaudacious by Dick Koornwinder.
The principle is actually older and can be found in a book by Roy Johnson that I think was called "On the Clock"

Anyway, I hope that information was some help to you. It is funny how some things one can remember, yet we often forget where we put the car keys.lol

All the Best
Marty

Marty, I am humbled in your presence!! I hope to one day cross paths with you!

~michael

Very nice! Thanks Marty. And while we're on the subject... *YOUR* new Rainbow Decks are positively beautiful!

Greetings Guys;
I just try to help whenever I can, that is the heading of the Café - magicians helping magicians.

Michael, if you ever get up this way, give a shout and stop in, I'll cook you a good homemade Italian dinner.

Thank You Evan for the kind words, they are most appreciated. & you are also welcome for dinner.

All the Best
Marty

Thanks Marty! I may take you up on that.

After digging a little more I found that Wakeman also credits Senator Crandall, citing a routine initially published in Abracadabra, and then again in his 1952 lecture notes.

Greetings Evan;
You are welcome anytime my friend, our house is always like Grand Central Station, you never know who will be here at any time.

Sometimes people come to visit and stay a while, no joke, we had one friend who stopped in for a weekend and ended up with us for almost three months.

The music runs from Rock, Pop, Rap. Classical, Jazz, Goth, Country, Swing, you never know what will be blasting from the living room at any given time. The one thing you can always be sure of is that if you are hungry when you are here, then it is your own fault. The kitchen is always open, and I am always cooking day and night.

The majority of the food cooked is Italian (bet you would have never guessed that.lol) but when I am writing recipes or creating new dishes for a restaurant, the menu could be anything from Mexican, Chinese, Greek, Romanian, to German & Irish Cuisine.

There is always plenty of Homebrew and other beers as well as Rum.

I was going by memory with the info on the Rainbow deck as it was early in the morning. Knowing Randy, a fine Gentleman, I'm sure he gave credit to Senator Crandall. If you have not seen it yet, catch Randy's dvd "Lake Tahoe Bar Magic" and his dvd on the Pass, Good material.

Have you checked out John Bannon's "Royal Scam" yet? Excellent trick and the fact that it ends clean, makes it just perfect.

Take care, & remember the door is always open
All the Best
Marty
P.S. Nums, if you are reading this, you cannot be adopted yet.lol

Marty,

That's definitely something I would enjoy! I may try to set up a lecture tour through your area in the future. I'll be through the Midwest a couple times this year, so quite a bit west of where you are. Let me check what's around you that I might be able to play connect the dots with.

Regards,

~michael

Greetings Michael:
In July I run a convention called The Funarama, it is a variety entertainers convention, magic, clowning, balloon sculpting, face painting, puppetry. This year it is July 25th & 26th. with all day the 24th. for Gold Pass members.

If you are going to be coming through, let me know and I'll see if I can line up some lectures for you while you are in the area. If you can't make it this year, consider next year and tying in the Funarama. We are always looking for new faces for lectures, workshops, performances and as dealers.

The door is always open.
All the Best
Marty

Big, big, big thanks to Marty for the detailed information! I will credit Senator Crandall in my effect instructions.

By the way, I can definitely appreciate the difficulty in finding appropriate cards for the assembly of a deck with all different backs. I didn't have to worry about borders (my effect actually works better if the borders are all different), but many of the decks I found had terrible finishes, resulting in a rainbow-style deck that was difficult to shuffle.

Thank you -- and the other posters -- for the help!

Martini,
ADOPT ME, ADOPT ME, ADOPT ME, ADOPT ME, ADOPT ME, ADOPT ME, ADOPT ME, ADOPT ME,


NUMS

Another big positive review of Marty's gorgeous new rainbow deck. I've never seen anything to match it!

Robin

Is this also called a "Kalediscope Deck"? I have two (8's and 10's.) That way I can repeat immediately with a different conclusion when someone says "DO IT AGAIN". It kills every time.

No except for the different backs this is a normal deck, each suit is ace-king no repeats of any card etc...

Randy