What happens when you cross one of the Greatest American Playing Card Empires with the themes and imagery of the Great Roman Empire? All roads lead to Empire No. 97 playing cards by Andrew Dougherty.

Dougherty had a long and successful career manufacturing playing cards in New York, and some of the most iconic brands began within the walls of his Manhattan facilities. Tally-Ho No. 9, No. 0 Steamboats, No. 50 Indicator and Triplicates No.18, just to name a few.

In 1895, with his health failing, Andrew Dougherty retired from the business and turned the company over to his three sons, Andrew Jr, Edward J. and William Henry. These men had been meticulously groomed for the job since childhood, and together, they carried their dad’s legacy into the future. They did this by not only continuing the business but also creating new decks that would honour the family’s heritage in the card-making industry. One of the first brands they created on their own was genuinely iconic. Empire No. 97 Playing Cards not only symbolized the Roman Empire but also very much the Dougherty Legacy.