Original Waite: which version?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 05 Apr 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Kissa	05 Apr 2004
Hi, I wondered if someone knows the difference between the US Games Original Rider Waite (US version) and the british Rider's Original Rider Waite? I was unable to find any scans of the british deck. The US version seems good if you are not bothered by the tiny "US Games" printing on each image (i am) and the backs don't look that original to me... Any info on either deck (or set) is highly welcome. If someone has a copy of one of them for trade, don't hesitate to contact me by pm! Thanks very much in advance! Kissa

closrapexa	05 Apr 2004
I coudln't find the tiny print, and I have the US Games version. Where is it?

Sulis	05 Apr 2004
I think that the US Games version is more brightly coloured, whereas the Rider version is supposed to have used some colour plates which were rediscovered after the war (I think :) ) The colours are a lot duller and a little greenish. There's a comparison at Joan Bunning's site Here Another good place to look is Holly's Rider Waite page Hope that's helped Love and light

Lee	05 Apr 2004
I think, if I understand correctly, Kissa is referring to the "Original Rider-Waite" deck which US Games sells in the U.S. (not the yellow-box version) This deck is the one that has greenish colors where there should be blue. Rider sells this same deck under their own imprint in Britain. So, it would be the same deck, the greenish one that Sulis refers to. It was produced from a version of the deck subsequent to the original 1910 version shown on the yellow-box USGames deck. -- Lee

Emily	05 Apr 2004
The so called 'Original Rider Waite' I have is the one in the blue box with the Tudor Rose design on the back. As Lee says, the deck doesn't feature any blue colour, instead a pale green, its pretty limited in colours anyway. I've never been very keen on this version of the Rider Waite because some of the cards come out very dark and some of the detail is lost. Also the outlining seems to be very thick. Its not this thick on the Pocket Rider Waite I have. Given the choice I would have bought just a standard Rider Waite and not this Original version, but at the time I didn't know any better and it was my first tarot deck. :D

Lee	05 Apr 2004
There was some interesting discussion about the origins of the RWS deck and the differences between the yellow-box version and the "Original Rider-Waite" version, here: http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=19475&perpage=10&pagenumber=2 -- Lee

Kissa	05 Apr 2004
Oh thanks Lee, the older thread is just fascinating! I had absolutely no idea there was so much to know about the RWS origins... I think i'll go for the Rider (british) edition of the Original, i'll give it a shot. Thanks again very much for mentioning the old thread. Kissa

The Original Waite: which version? thread was originally posted on 05 Apr 2004 in the Tarot Decks board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Tarot Decks, or read more archived threads.