Thoth Deck Printing History

The crowned one

Teheuti said:
The Hong Kong printing was first (1969 - although not readily available until around 1971), as mentioned in an email from Carl Weschke (Llewellyn Publications) that's been quoted in one of these threads. The box is different from the US printing in that the inner gold box is a shiny, metallic gold, rather than a dull gold. IMHO, it looks a little tacky. My OTO card has the Dublin CA address as mentioned above and says "Printed in Hong Kong." The Ace of Pentacles and 8 of Cups also have the problems mentioned.
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Ah, yes the OTO card, mine too has the Dublin CA address. (Llewellyn Publications)

For me this is cleared up, thank-you Teheulti.
 

RLG

Patrick Booker said:
The box is of white card, thick and sturdy, with all the sides completely blank. One of the longer sides is open, with two small thumb-shaped spaces to grip the cards.

Patrick
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Dwtw

Patrick, is there any chance you could post a photo or scan of this box? it would definitely help with my research on the printing history of the deck, (speaking of which, the links to those files I posted last year have been taken down as the research is still ongoing).

Litlluw
RLG
 

gregory

I've emailed Frank Jensen - but he usually takes a while to answer :)
 

Teheuti

Patrick Booker said:
The box is of white card, thick and sturdy, with all the sides completely blank. One of the longer sides is open, with two small thumb-shaped spaces to grip the cards.
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Patrick,

I wonder if you have a prototype deck - one sent by the publisher as an example, before the final case design was approved? I've never seen anything like what you describe. Could you possibly take a photo and send us a link to where we can view it? I'm sure everyone would like to see such an anomaly.
 

Patrick Booker

RLG said:
Dwtw

Patrick, is there any chance you could post a photo or scan of this box? it would definitely help with my research on the printing history of the deck, (speaking of which, the links to those files I posted last year have been taken down as the research is still ongoing).

Litlluw
RLG
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Not easily - I have no scanner or digital camera. If I see anyone I know who has either, I will see what I can do.

Patrick
 

Patrick Booker

Hi Teheuti,

I have just remembered that my rather old mobile phone does have a digital camera of sorts, but I have no means of transferring the images to a computer. The images are so poor I have never bothered. If I invest in a new phone, I could probably put it on the Tarot History Forum, where they might well be interested as well. For the moment, I can only describe it. It is nothing remarkable. All faces are white and completely blank.

I wish I could remember where I sent for it, but it was around 40 years ago.

Patrick
 

gregory

I have a relative in Sheffield.... If this isn't sorted by the time I am next there, I will meet you and take photos :)
 

Patrick Booker

Patrick Booker said:
I am wondering if I have a first edition of the deck by Llewellyn in cooperation with O.T.O. 1970:

http://www.manteia-online.dk/deckreviews/dr049.htm

It could have been as late as 1970 that I obtained it.

Patrick
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This is the nearest I have found, but as I read it, the slipcase has text on it. Curiouser and curiouser!

Patrick
 

Teheuti

Patrick Booker said:
All faces are white and completely blank.
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It sounds like either an illegal copy or a prototype, so it wouldn't fit into any of the regular publishing categories. The blank faces are suspicious as it would be odd to not print those in an early prototype sent by the printer to the publisher. That's why I'm thinking it could be a pirated edition - maybe even by one of the employees of the original printing company. As Carl Weschke noted - copyright laws were pretty lax back then, and the deck and book were 'up for grabs' at that time.
 

Patrick Booker

Assuming it is an illegal copy or prototype, does it have any value or interest? Were these common?

Patrick
 
Liber Theta Six of Wands-- at times not so victorious?