Question about Borders

gregory

What do you want to trim off? Some people trim off the titles, Hebrew letters, and astrological symbols because they don't know what they mean. They are there for a purpose. If you understand what they mean and have memorized them, then they are superfluous and might as well be chopped off. Otherwise, removing them is rather ostrich-like. The reasoning goes like this: I don't understand these weird symbols, so I'll simply get rid of them: problem solved. That is only deluding oneself.
The OP simply asked about the borders, which - as stated - had nothing to do with Uncle Al or Frieda - the first ones printed had plain borders with just the titles. I'm not particularly aware that the glyphs etc were there at their behest - they were added later - who knows whose idea they were.

This was the first layout. None of those things were there.

And you CANNOT see the geometry properly with borders.

http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=157845
 

devilkitty

At least in my experience, the Thoth really comes to life when the borders are removed.
It practically leaps off the table now.

And the original paintings weren't bordered.
 

FortuneFromJupiter

I'm not sure what you're asking about - do you mean the white edge between the edge of the card and the image? They're there in the vast majority of cases (not just the Thoth tarot, but all bordered decks) for two real reasons - as a sacrificial edge to stop wear on the edges of the images themselves, and most importantly to provide some wiggle room for printing - not all the images come out exactly the same size, and the borders smooth those tiny differences out. Also they allow for cutting of the cards from sheets without having the images impinging on one another.

I don't know that the answer to your question is really a make or break thing - get a backup, and go for it. I've trimmed multiple Thoths. My favourite had been used so much that the images are starting to wear off. For real.

I obviously don't mean the white boarders. I am speaking of the actual boarder with the titles written with computerized font and the astrology symbols. I heard they were added with out permission after frieda harris and crowley made the images.
 

FortuneFromJupiter

The OP simply asked about the borders, which - as stated - had nothing to do with Uncle Al or Frieda - the first ones printed had plain borders with just the titles. I'm not particularly aware that the glyphs etc were there at their behest - they were added later - who knows whose idea they were.

This was the first layout. None of those things were there.

And you CANNOT see the geometry properly with borders.

http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=157845

Thank you very much! just more reason to trim it up! =D
 

FortuneFromJupiter

What do you want to trim off? Some people trim off the titles, Hebrew letters, and astrological symbols because they don't know what they mean. They are there for a purpose. If you understand what they mean and have memorized them, then they are superfluous and might as well be chopped off. Otherwise, removing them is rather ostrich-like. The reasoning goes like this: I don't understand these weird symbols, so I'll simply get rid of them: problem solved. That is only deluding oneself.

I know all the names, numbers and astrology associations... Time to remove the training wheels ;D
 

smw

The question I have is about the authenticity of the boarders.
Did Frieda Harris and Crowely design the cards with the boarders? I Have heard that they were added without the approval of either party.
I am just curious.

Thank you all =D

According to the website below these are the original printing plates for the Ace of Disks and the Sun, the Thoth prototypes (1943) for the 1944 Chiswick print. There are borders to them. I don't know if that was with approval or not , though Crowley was still alive then.
.
http://www.securenet.net/tbcl/TBCL_AHOME_Crowley1.htm
 

smw

According to the website below these are the original printing plates for the Ace of Disks and the Sun, the Thoth prototypes (1943) for the Chiswick print. There are borders to them. I don't know if that was with approval or not , though Crowley was still alive then.
.
http://www.securenet.net/tbcl/TBCL_AHOME_Crowley1.htm

eta just saw further down - "In 1943 Crowley had eight sets of these printing blocks made: seven sets were for the designs for the tarot cards 'Ace of Disks', 'The Lovers,' 'The Ace of Swords,' 'The Sun,' 'The Hierophant,' 'Lust', and 'The Universe,' with the eighth set for the Rose-Cross design that would appear on the reverse side of each card. The plates were primarily struck so that color prints of the designs could be made to tip into his forthcoming 'The Book of Thoth',"however he also took advantage of their availability to have a small test run of those particular tarot cards made. These he distributed to friends and acquaintances that might be persuaded to help finance the full printing of the pack.
 

ravenest

thanks for asking this as i was wondering the same thing!

and i also just got a large thoth with the intention of trimming and wanted to see if anyone has advice on how to do it so it looks nice and neat.. i guess going to a print store and using a professional paper cutter and corner cutter? are you planning to round the corners and is there any coating that should be applied on the sides? another idea i had was to have the newly cut edges gilded with gold paint [emoji41] that would really make it beautiful!

Oh no ... do the edges with ' electrum magicum' :)