The 1001 Aladdin playing cards were introduced by Samuel J. Murray’s National card Co. of Indianapolis in the mid-1880s, and absorbed into the United States Playing Card Company in 1894. As American demand faded. the brand survived by export, carried to the humid markets of Asia, where its un-embossed smooth finish resisted heat and moisture and became a quiet staple in Singapore and beyond. The finish was a practical choice, made for durability rather than handling; the side effect was an unusually slick deck that cut cleanly, and decades later cardists adopted the deck for exactly that.

Made in the USA on thin crushed stock, printed with a custom ink formulation developed to enhance feel, and finished smooth, the first US-made Anyone deck to use a smooth finish.