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We’re proud to present Groundskeeper. The collection includes an original deck of playing cards, a custom set of poker chips, and much more. Designed by Dan Greta, with creative direction by The Gentleman Wake, Wyrmwood has finally been able to create a deck of traditional playing cards worthy of the brand.
Traditional playing cards are iconic, ubiquitous, and essential. All around the world, across all social, cultural and geographical barriers, one can find 52 familiar faces, and people that know and love them. For a specific, niche-focused brand like Wyrmwood, the opportunity to bring our unique perspective and sensibility to something so universal is truly exciting. Whether you’re playing hand after hand of poker, dazzling an audience with sleight-of-hand, a collector, or simply sitting down to have some cold drinks and play cards with friends, the Groundskeeper deck is made for you.
The card backs feature a mesmerizing web of detailed filigree, comprised of vines and flowers. More than a simple aesthetic choice, these symbols of nature represent the connection between Wyrmwood and the natural materials we select as a canvas for our craft.
At the center of the backing design, one finds a pair of hands, intertwined. The concept of working by hand is core to Wyrmwood, of course, but it also speaks to the care, precision, and collaboration found in the Groundskeeper deck itself. Finally, we reached out to Studio Pression in France for the breathtaking tuck box in which we house the finished deck. Groundskeeper was born from working hand-in-hand with friends from around the world; a fitting origin for something so universal as a deck of cards.
Each deck comes packaged in a beautiful tuck case, designed with care to echo the features and chosen color way of the deck within. The box is not simply a necessary, utilitarian addition to the package, but a unique, complementary piece all its own. It was vital not only to create an enduring, striking design, but to find a manufacturing partner with the mixture of prestige and expertise necessary to do it justice; enter Studio Pression, in France.
Each sleeve is hand pressed, creating a stunningly detailed, richly textured effect. Embossed and foiled in gold, the deck is a pleasure to view and handle before one even opens the box.
The outer sleeve features a precision-cut window to show the primary focus of the artwork below: two women standing tall. Between them rises a majestic tree, with a sword resting tip down, embedded in the root structure. This piece is a depiction and interpretation of the classic Wyrmwood logo, brought to vivid life. The women represent the dual sides of Wyrmwood - valued, hard work, paired with knowledge and elegance. But there’s much more here than first meets the eye…
Inspired by the work of Hieronymus Bosch, at a glance the tuck case features gardens and classic architecture. Upon further examination, though, oddities begin to appear which seem to multiply the more one studies the piece. Throughout the box, many hidden details are placed to pay tribute to the fantasy roots of Wyrmwood. By design, the box can be unfolded, revealing it to be a continuous work of art in and of itself.
Even the interior of the box features a dizzying web of vinework, intertwined with the Wyrmwood logo, demonstrating again the indelible connection between Wyrmwood and the physical, natural world.
