Do you like skeletons? Do you like playing cards? Well, if the answer is yes to both of these questions you are going to love the Skelstrument Playing cards.
The deck comes with 56 cards that includes two standard magic cards; a double backer and a blank faced card. The card back design is a two way image of a skeleton playing the saxophone. The colors are somewhat muted favoring a soft purple, black, white and gold. The skeletons are wearing a derby-type hat and the design behind the musical dead is a circular design that resembles a round paper doily. The two Jokers have different saxophone playing standing skeleton’s with different doily-like designs behind their heads. 
The background is mostly white. Each Joker faces in a different direction; one to the left and the other to the right. The Ace of Spades has a large spade with another sax-toting skeleton inside its’ border. Under the base of the spade the words “CS PLAYING CARD Co.” appears with “MADE IN THE USA”. All the court cards have different skeletons playing saxophones in different poses. The Jack of Spades is the only one wearing sunglasses.
The face of all the cards all have original artwork as well. There are two stripes that appear on the left middle and the right middle of the cards that look cool when you fan the cards face-up. The corner pips contain unique fonts for the numbers and letters and the spades and clubs are black and the diamonds and hearts are the muted purple. Unlike the corner pips, the pips in the middle of the cards have images of the skelton’s ribs in every club, heart, spade and diamond pip. Interestingly, the ribs are not mirror images and are essentially a one-way design that can be used to locate a selected card. The sole exception to this is that the court cards are mirror images and not one-way designs.
The tuck box contains various images that are found on the cards. The Ace of Spades is on the front of the box and the back design is on the back. The front of the tuck box has the words “Skelstrument Playing Card” in a custom shadowed font. The tuck box sides bear the words “THE UNITED STATES PLAYING CARD COMPANY” on one side and “MADE IN THE USA” on the other.
The ad copy states:
“Hear and feel the buttery soft flutter of Skelstrument Playing Cards as the cards move against each other… creating a rhythm every cardist and magician knows. So satisfying. The snappy sound when they are shuffled. The slightest whisper when fanned.
The purple and black bar on the card faces creates an incredibly striking design when the cards are fanned, squared or flourished… tying every card together like notes on a sheet of music.
EVERY element (pips, Courts, fronts and backs) on each card has been artistically drawn marrying the human skeleton, music, and the visual representation of sound. 
Skelstrument Playing Cards pay respect to your fingers… your finely tuned instruments. Create magic. Create art. Create music.
Includes 2 gaff cards
Designed by Abraham Sanchez
Printed by US Playing Card Company”
I appreciate Murphy’s Magic asking me to review these cards because I love them. They are available at any Murphy’s Magic dealer.
