Braille Deck

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 11 Apr 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Junia	11 Apr 2005
Hi, I have searched the forums with discussions on Braille Decks. Tarotgarden.com lists one Rider Tarot Deck Special Braille Edition. I tried to e-mail U.S. Games (I think that they were the original publishers) but received no response. I have a friend who is partially sighted. We thought of hunting down a braille writer and just rolling the cards in and typing the number at the top and then the name of the card at the bottom. That appears to be the system used on Tarotgarden's example. I have also been unable to locate anything in out of print on such places as E-bay and Amazon.com, B&N, etc. I know this is an old subject but does anyone have anything new? If so, please P.M. or post here. I have been spending tremendous amouts of time web searching to no avail. Love and Cups, Junia

similia	11 Apr 2005
Did you email Tarot Garden? I think Jeanette will respond a lot sooner than US Games. (e.g. Jeanette responds to me the same day, US Games seems to be waiting till hell freezes over...) Is a "braille writer" a person or a type-writer like device? I think that sounds like a great idea. You friend could pick the deck of their choice that way, and not be stuck with only the RWS option. I wonder though if the "marks" would also stand out excessively on the backs too? I hope you find something perfect soon. Your friend is lucky to have you on the case for them.

Junia	11 Apr 2005
Yes, thank you I did try Tarotgarden.com. They are looking. As far as I can understand, not having actually seen one, they are like a typewriter/computer printer array. He knows someone here who has one, but we haven't asked yet. I am hoping that it might do heavy card stock (like Tarot Decks). Funny thing is I looked on Amazon.com for a Braille Deck and ran across a "fishy" ad to preorder the Deck for $39.95 to be sent out in April. There was no name for the vendor. I emailed Amazon that I thought it weird and to check for possible fraud. Thanks so much for your kind words. If this works out, the braille writer, I'll let all of you know. We could really do a service for people in our communities. Blind Tarot Clubs, maybe? Cups of nine to you today! Junia

Moongold	11 Apr 2005
Your local ngo for sight difficulties may be able to help prepare an ordinary deck so it could be read in braille. What a fascinating task that would be. :) My best wishes ~ Moongold

Lillie	11 Apr 2005
When I was a kid we had a family friend staying with us for a while. She worked in a school for the blind, and I learned an awful lot about Braille and such like. Braille is very difficult to learn. Moon is much easier, but hard to get stuff written in it. Anyhow. Braille writers. The one that is like a big typewriter. I have had a go one one of these, they are rather big and quite expensive. It might be difficult to get one. Anyhow it could well damage the cards when rolling them through. The other thing I came across was a tiny little thing. It's difficult to discribe, but I'll try. It is metal, rectangular, about 3 x 5 inches. It is 2 layers hinged together on one side. the top is a series of oblong holes in a grid The bottom is a matching grid of oblongs, but these are made up of 6 dimples, 2 x 3 the way that braille is made. What you do is trap you paper/card between the two layers, and using a pointed thing, press through the shape of the braille letters in reverse. So, each oblong is made into a braille letter by pushing down into one or more of the dimples. Then, when the card is removed and turned the right way up, the braille letters are raised on the front. Does this all make sense? Anyhow, I don't know how avaliable these are. I expect a supplyer of aides for the blind might have one, and I bet they are cheaper than the typewritter thing. A school for the blind or something like that, might let you use one of their typewriters. I saw a deck of braille cards on ebay recently, but they were in spanish! Good luck!

Emily	11 Apr 2005
I know Amazon UK were also selling a Braille Rider Waite about 1 or 2 years ago but at the time I couldn't find any images of the deck- not sure if they still sell it or not.

Junia	12 Apr 2005
Thanks, everyone. I know that there is some kind of tool like you mentioned. The typewriter (an acquaintance of his has) is what we are still looking into, but it scares me that it might ruin the deck. Emily, thanks I tried Amazon and some person (who didn't leave a name) was asking for $39.95 to preorder Braille decks to be shipped in April. It looked fishy and I reported it to them. It will all work out. We just have to wait for the synchronomous moment. Thanks very much all, Love and Cups of Ten today! Junia

Lillie	12 Apr 2005
Well, if you have access to a braille typewriter than that is problably the best thing. You could try it out on lots of different things first. Get one of them godawful Jonathan dee decks and braille it to death to see what happens. When you are ready to do the proper deck try doing the 'spare' cards first,if it has any, you know? the advertising one that says about other decks for sale. To see what happens, if the rolling damages them too badly. It has been many years since I last saw one of them machines, I can't really remember what the roller was like, or if indeed it actually had one, or if it had a different paper feeding method. Of course, most braille paper is pretty thick, so the bumps stay prominent. So it ought to be able to handle cards.

lark	12 Apr 2005
The ISBN number for the braille deck by USGames is 1-57281-368-7 Item # BRW78 It sells for $40.00 and comes with an audio tape. The official name of the deck is: Braille deck for Rider-Waite Tarot (with audio tape) I hope with this info you can find a deck for your friend. You should be able to order it now with the item number straight from USGames website.

Scion	12 Apr 2005
Hey Junia Also worth checking out is http://www.thespidersweb.org which describes a "custom braille tarot service," if you can believe it, for the cost of the deck and $20 for the actual labor. If nothing else, it might be worth sending an email to find out what's what... Scion

Junia	14 Apr 2005
lillie, lark & scion, Thanks so much. I tried U.S. Games and Tarotgarden but they don't seem to have any in stock. I did email U.S. Games but haven't received an answer back. I will also try your link scion. He has a little bit of sight still (in one eye) and several decks. Some days are better than others for him. The Braille bumps should help him (a) learn Braille better and (b) help him have something positive if and when (God forbid, but it can happen), he loses what little bit of sight he has left. Thank you so much for the research! Love and Cups of Nine, Junia

The Braille Deck thread was originally posted on 11 Apr 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.