Twin Box Set x John Held Jr. "Happy Days" c1930s Playing Cards (SOLD)

Collection of 'Dandy' Richard Merkin

Richard Marshall Merkin (October 9, 1938 – September 5, 2009) was an American painter, illustrator and arts educator. Merkin's fascination with the 1920s and 1930s defined his art and shaped his identity as a professional dandy. Many of his works depict the interwar years, painting narrative scenes in bright colors of jazz musicians, film stars, writers, and sports heroes. Merkin was as well known for his outré sense of clothing style and collections of vintage pornography (in particular Tijuana bibles) as he was for his painting and illustration work.

1930s. 2.25" x 4.25" x 2.5" tall cardboard box has illustrated lid with applied label on front showing image of typical well-dressed happy Held couple with woman holding cocktail shaker over her head as man in tuxedo holds pair of cocktail glasses. Lid has bottle label graphics including Gorden Dry Gin, High & Dry Gin, Gold Himble Scotch Liqueur and Black & White Scotch Whiskey. Lid has a tiny bit of wear around corner tips. Fine. Base shows some wear at corner seams. VG. Double deck of cards with 52 in each repeats lid label graphics on card backs. One deck has orange bkg., the other has green bkg. Orange bkg. deck has gold outside rim color and the other has silver. Decks are complete and Exc. Choice graphics. From the Richard Merkin Collection.