I had been looking for a deck which would handle well, stand up to a lot of abuse, and would provide a touch of elegance to my forays into entertaining at various functions.

The Aristocrats have filled my requirements well. Out of the box they are a buttery dream to handle, needing little breaking in. There is also a blank face card, and two identical jokers included...along with a full backed ad card which can supply me with stock for future gaffs. The back design is reminiscent of the architectural styling of the early 1920s and, in the black or blue versions, emits an air of opulence.

Court cards are highlighted in a subtle yet striking gold, and the pip cards are the same as regular bikes, only with a much deeper red. The ace of spades has a well-rendered "Aristocrat" banner along with a well done spade.

I was a fan of Tycoons, but am finding that, although similar in handling, the Aristocrat back design does not raise suspicions about any marking system. I guess the clock pattern led people astray. I can see though, that a marking system will be well hidden if I choose to add one. The border design will also lend itself well to making a one-way back. Speaking of which, the borders are well centered.

Faro? Well, they do this quite well out of the box, even though I do not use many faro shuffles...triple false cuts are a dream, though, and I haven't run into any control problems with these cards despite the slippery appearing finish...just quality!

Even though Penguin Magic has caused me to become addicted to hoarding Penguin marked Maidens, I am still going to collect as many of these gems as I can. I strongly suggest people do not purchase these, as I need them to always be in stock.

I love the back design it looks really cool. I also love the tuck case it looks so fancy for the formal magician. Love love love this deck!!!