Blue box, right cards?

Chrystella

I picked up a blue box RWS on ebay. I suspect the cards might not be original to this box though. The cards are beautiful, not laminated, no copyright, and the details are very clear (I'll have to compare them to some other editions later). The LWB looks good too.

The thing that is throwing me off is a card that includes a list of POPULAR TAROT DECKS AND BOOKS. It's from U.S. Games.

I've attached some pictures. What do you think?
 

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coredil

I have 4 copy of the Blue Box.
Two have two blank cards, one came with no additional cards and one came with one blank card and exactly the same advertising card as yours.
I consider all four to be real Blue Box decks.

The cards of the early US-Games edition (yellow box with the magician, no copyright on the cards) look and feel exactly the same as the cards of the Blue Box edition.
They all have been printed by AG-Müller.

This advertising card probably comes from the period where US-Games began to sell these decks too.
The including of this card could be as well intentional as also be an error as the cards of both decks comes from the same printer AG-Müller.

You could also check if you have a Blushing Fool or a Fool with a creamy face ;-)

Best regards

BTW
There is an old thread with nice informations on the Blue Box:
http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=66884&pp=10
 

Essence of Winter

I picked up a blue box RWS on ebay. I suspect the cards might not be original to this box though. The cards are beautiful, not laminated, no copyright, and the details are very clear (I'll have to compare them to some other editions later). The LWB looks good too.

The thing that is throwing me off is a card that includes a list of POPULAR TAROT DECKS AND BOOKS. It's from U.S. Games.

I've attached some pictures. What do you think?

I have two Blue Box editions and one is identical to yours with that same advertising card. Mine only has one blank card.

My other Blue Box refers to Waddingtons on the box and has two blank cards without that advertising card.

I am sure it's original and genuine.
 

Abrac

I know Rider originally published the WS, but since US Games acquired the copyright in 1971 I was wondering if the Blue Box Rider, Blue Box Waddington, and the Yellow Box Weiser were all issued under license from US Games in the early 70s. The two blue box versions would have been for distribution in the UK and the Weiser in the US. That would explain the US Games ad card in the Blue Box Rider. The ad card would presumably indicate a later print run.
 

Chrystella

Thank you, everyone. This blue box I bought does have one blank card and the U.S. Games ad card. Looks like it's complete then.
 

Essence of Winter

Thank you, everyone. This blue box I bought does have one blank card and the U.S. Games ad card. Looks like it's complete then.

I think yours is the second version of the Blue Box; the first has the 'Waddingtons' on the box and the two blank cards. I can't see any obvious difference between the cards in each version, however.