Seven "reversed" Swords

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 20 Jan 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Fulgour	20 Jan 2005
Seven "reversed" Swords If I am reading with the Colman Smith Tarot (rws) there is no confusion as to whether or not a card is reversed. But anyone who looks at the original TdM printing molds from Nicolas Conver will immediately see that almost all TdM readers orient seven their Sword pips upside down. This is mainly the fault of the modern Printers and re-creators. So it means if most TdM readers draw the 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, or 10 of Swords, they'll have uprights reversed and reversals upright, and not even know it... this simply could not happen with the Colman Smith cards, or need this silly explanation of mine. * 1760 Nicolas Conver carved pear wood printing plate, clearly showing (unmistakably) that the flowers hang: Plate No. 5 ~ Look for Yourself http://www.camoin.com/en/conver/moules/moule_conver_10.asp http://www.camoin.com/en/conver/moules/moules_bois.asp

Fulgour	20 Jan 2005
The thing about the Swords is really a solvable problem. A person can just decide which way feels right for them. But there are other Marseilles cards where it is confusing. These cards can be turned "up or down" without change: Wands: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ~ look the same either way Coins: 5 6 8 9 10 ~ look the same either way Swords: 2 and 8 ~ look the same either way That means there are 23 Marseilles "reversible" possibilities. In a 78 card Tarot deck 29.4% of the pips are ambiguous. This, of course, is never a problem if using the Colman Smith.

Fudugazi	20 Jan 2005
Fulgour wrote: That means there are 23 Marseilles "reversible" possibilities. In a 78 card Tarot deck 29.4% of the pips are ambiguous. Oh man! You don't want to help me calculate the tsunami pledges versus commitments versus cash-in-bank average, would you? I read the swords either way they fall. If the single sword points up, it means activity, quick thinking, conflict, ...all those hot things. If it comes pointing down it means reflection, homage, distancing, ...all those detached things. I like ambiguity. It makes me stretch myself and explore and not be squared into a box. An in order to do that lovely pattern with the swords circles, you have to turn some of them upside-down anyway.

Fulgour	20 Jan 2005
Helvetica wrote: An in order to do that lovely pattern with the swords circles, you have to turn some of them upside-down anyway. For the "lovely pattern with the sword circles" all you have to do is line up cards 2 through 10 long-ways up-ways (not side-ways). But how do you determine if you're looking at them as intended?

Fudugazi	20 Jan 2005
Fulgour wrote: But how do you determine if you're looking at them as intended? I never worry about it. Besides, Convers are copies. He might have got it wrong! I have no idea if those molds were right way up or upside down. What if the As de Coupes is supposed to point down, an idealised mirror-image of our world? In fact, I think mirrors might give us the answer for the swords as well. So how do you decide?

The Seven "reversed" Swords thread was originally posted on 20 Jan 2005 in the Using Tarot Cards board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Using Tarot Cards, or read more archived threads.