The Slööf-Lirpa Tarocchi

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 29 Mar 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Fulgour	29 Mar 2005
This unusual account was related to us by Bob Lancaster: In 1887, a printer named Nicholas Lirpa was searching for a new and exciting printing process. Having immigrated to the United States from his native Greece, Lirpa had yet to duplicate his success in the old country as a printer of tarocchi cards. Translucent tarocchi cards, in which an image could be seen in a card when held up to the light, had been a popular fad in Europe, but had never quite caught on in the states. The idea occurred to Lirpa: why not take it the next logical step, and create totally transparent tarocchi cards? First, a process for manufacturing transparent card stock was needed. Lirpa took this challenge to his friend Erik Slööf, a Swiss-born scientist and a chemical genius of his day. The problem of inventing a process by which such cards could be printed intrigued Slööf, who began work on the problem immediately. By the end of 1889, he had that problem solved, but what of the print itself? Slööf turned his attention to the design of a totally transparent ink. After experimenting with countless chemicals and pigments, Slööf came upon a combination which, when dry, was totally transparent. Although the formula was later lost, early notes suggest that it was a combination of hydrogen and oxygen, although at what proportions is unclear. A partnership was formed, and the Slööf-Lirpa Tarocchi Card Company set up shop. In 1890 the cards were printed and delivered to storekeepers across the country. But all would not go well. A. Menteur, in his book Jouant Aux Cartes Qui N'ont Jamais Existé (Publications Fictives, 1953), describes some of the problems: "What Lirpa failed to foresee were some of the practical problems inherent in a trasparent deck, not the least of which was: How could a reader tell what cards he or she was holding?" Grosser Lügner, in Eingebildete Spielenkarten (Falsche Publikationen, 1966) was even harsher: "... to add to their colossal blunder, Slööf and Lirpa decided to package the cards in a box made from the same transparent material. Storekeepers steadfastly refused delivery of what appeared to be empty crates." Slööf tried for many years to find a lucrative market for his invention, to no avail. When the warehouse full of Slööf-Lirpa decks burned in a mysterious fire, Slööf took the resulting insurance money and returned to his native land, a broken man. Not many decks survived the fire, and since the cards are so easily misplaced, most of those are incomplete, which makes this tarocchi a collector's dream deck. BLGUPC

Umbrae	29 Mar 2005
I have a mostly complete one of these, it was crucial in my approach to “reading between the cards”.

firemaiden	29 Mar 2005
My Goodness, I think it might be of even greater value in learning how to read underneath the cards.

Cerulean	29 Mar 2005
...although I was clicking through the virtual transparency of all the backgrounds just to see if I was 'missing' something. My laugh-at-self-o'-meter is now bubbling through. Peek-a-boo! Cerulean

baba-prague	31 Mar 2005
Perhaps someone - I would suggest Firemaiden - should offer a reading with these cards to one lucky querent?

firemaiden	31 Mar 2005
gulp...

Fudugazi	31 Mar 2005
Hehe, have you noticed the other cards on that website? When I worked in Irak, my colleagues and I played cards with "The Most Wanted" pack (it was actually published believe it or not). I also did some oracle readings with them! OK, we were sick. It was a tough time for aid workers.... Now I am waiting for firemaiden's reading with the see-through cards. If anyone can, she can!

catti	31 Mar 2005
Imagine trying to keep track of the Sloof cards...."i thought i put them on my desk....no.....on the book shelf....erm !?!?" Do you remember a thread where it was suggested you shuffle the cards in your mind and see what you draw?

baba-prague	31 Mar 2005
firemaiden wrote: gulp... Think of it as The Emperor's New Clothes of readings - and hope that there is no child to point out "OY! That woman's got no pictures on them cards! Nothing on them at all..." We won't tell if you don't.

Cerulean	31 Mar 2005
And it's amazing that the design just goes so transparently with everything. Perhaps the second most happy deck, second to the imaginary one in my head. Happy April! Cerulean Mari

baba-prague	31 Mar 2005
Oh, but I think you'll find this deck HAS borders - quite elaborate ones :-) Or am I getting confused between the first and second editions?

Cerulean	03 Apr 2005
...but my eyes don't get the full gist of her her text beyond the great gulp....wait a second...if I close my eyes, I can see it clearly! She's done magic type text again. My comments below: Regards, Cerulean

The The Slööf-Lirpa Tarocchi thread was originally posted on 29 Mar 2005 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.