Old Gypsy Fortune Telling Cards, copyright 1940

3/26/15 - I have been collecting Tarot decks for
some time.  I am astounded by the number of
decks available and the subject matter.  Just the
other day I took a picture of my oldest deck - 0ld
Gypsy Fortune Telling Cards by Whitman Publishing Co , copyright 1940. 

Today on Mary K. Greer's Tarot Blog she mentioned this deck (see below) along with some much older decks.

Old Gypsy Fortune Telling Cards, Whitman Publishing Co., 1940.

This 36-card deck is essentially a Lenormand with twelve cards that vary from the standard—some a mere substitution of a different image and others, entirely new but drawn out of the Mülhausen/Drake selection. It has more of an emphasis on love and marriage. There have been three different artistic renditions of this deck, all designed in the style of children’s book illustrations. There are no playing card associations.

 

Also included in her discussion: The Evening World’s Home Magazine (New York) reproduced the original “Philippe” (heirs of Mlle. Lenormand) Instruction Sheet in their October 19, 1903 issue. Included are the standard Kunst-Comptoir 1854 images that one is encouraged to cut out to make one’s own deck. Here is the article if you wish to print it out and do the same.

I have saved this image and hope to be able to blow it up on the library photo machine. 



I just checked Ebay for the value of the 1940 deck I have.  It is listed now from $28.00 to $80.  My deck was found in the Smith house.