Binary Playing Cards

YEAR: 1968
ITEM: Paraphernalia
COMPANY: The Other Computer Company: Honeywell
COUNTRY: USA
IN OUR COLLECTION: Yes

These playing cards were a promotional deck for Honeywell Computers by Brown & Bigelow supplied as a dual-deck in a clear plastic box, with the cards marked in binary notation. The backs of the cards show two sculptures made from computer components of the time, wire, integrated circuits, transistors, resistors, diodes, switches, connectors, wheels and pulleys which were created by Jack N. Rindner. These animal sculptures also featured in Honeywell’s successful advertising campaigns for a number of years when they were competing against IBM to become the “Number Two” computer systems company, hence the name, “The Other Computer Company”. The tiger was supposed to tell “Ignore the computer if you dare” whilst the dragon says “Honeywell’s new computers introduce a little magic to banking”. Brown & Bigelow’s “Nu Vue” brand was first produced around 1960 and is mentioned on the joker as well as the plastic coating.

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