Tarot & Oracle
The Tarot is at its tabletop practical basis a deck of decorated cards. Its order and appearance began to be somewhat uniform in the Renaissance, roughly the 15th Century. More complex meanings and purposes of this tool of gamesmanship seem to have begun early in the 18th Century, eventually growing and roaming into the wide spectrum of entertainment, interrogation, divination, and cartomancy that we know today.
A friend introduced me to the I Ching in college, and I quickly understood it to be an effective and enjoyable method of psychological investigation. After years of being put off by some of the more arcane and ambitious claims of tarot enthusiasts, I finally saw the analogy to the I Ching. After many years of resisting carrying the tarot in the store, I now stock it in the simple and inquiring spirit of my understanding. I am attracted to eye-catching art, of course, and I like the idea of cats being involved, of course, although I suspect cats may be more interested in pushing the cards off the table than in being supportive familiars. I respect the tarot’s history, and I will seek out books that place in the context of its origin and survival.
I am aware that the supply and diversity of decks is enormous, but I begin simply and humbly, alert to what my customers like.
Smith-Waite Tarot Deck Centennial Edition in a Tin
Smith-Waite Tarot Deck Centennial Edition in a Tin
The Smith-Waite Centennial Tarot Deck in a Tin is a faithful reproduction of the original deck created by Pamela Colman Smith in 1909 under the direction of Arthur E. Waite. This classic tarot deck features full pictorial scenes in the muted colors chosen by “Pixie” herself. The deck was first issued in 2009 by U.S. Games Systems as part of the Pamela Colman Smith Commemorative Set. The 80-card deck includes the standard 78 tarot cards plus 2 samples of Pixie’s non-tarot artwork. Cards in this pocket-sized deck measure 2.25˝ x 3.75˝.