Samuel Weiser Miniature RWS with a US Games LWB !

RichardG

I recently purchased a Samuel Weiser 'Miniature Rider Waite Tarot Deck' (as it was called back then).
I was surprised to see the front cover of it's Little White Book is stamped U.S.Games with the 468 Park Avenue South address on it.

Part of me is thrilled to bits - because according to the numbers inside the first page it's a First Edition LWB.
And part of me is disappointed because I would have thought that a Samuel Weiser box would come with a Samuel Weiser LWB (as is the case with my standard size Samuel Weiser deck).

I'm assuming that there are a number of Aeclecticians who also own Samuel Weiser minis.
If you are so inclined, could you check to see which company is printed on your LWB and post a reply to this thread please ?

Thanks,
Richard.
 

Philippe

I bought one some time ago :

The box was a yellow Samuel Weiser's one (of course)
The LWB has US Games 38 E 32nd st on the first page
The cards were still still sealed with the copyright and a delightful matte finish

All in all I was not disappointed
 

rwcarter

My mini-Weiser RWS has a USG LWB, but my full size Weiser has a LWB that says Weiser on the front cover, but says copyright US Games on the inside cover. I think there must've been a short-lived distribution agreement between USG and Weiser.

Rodney
 

RichardG

It's another early Yellow Box variation on a theme then

Thank you Philippe and Rodney.
Although our sample size is only n=3, it would seem that Weiser's miniatures contained USG stamped LWBs.

Rodney, my standard size Weiser is exactly the same as yours.

The Weisers are relatively rare in both sizes - which does suggest a small run / brief distribution agreement between Weiser and USG.
As my early Weiser miniature LWB has USG's Park Ave address (1970-1980) and Philippe's is the 38 East 32nd St (1980-1990), it's not too much of a logical leap to believe that Weiser's (and USG's?) miniatures first started appearing in the very late 70's.

Knowing what edition number is printed inside Phillipe's LWB could possibly help us here...

And this is where Gregory's skills would also come in handy.
Although she only owns a couple of decks (cough cough) I bet there's a few USG RWS mini's in there - and Gregory always seems to be able to recall exactly when she bought her decks.....

knock knock knock
Gregory? Are you there....?
 

gregory

I have many USG Waite=Smiths, yes. They are 3000 miles away just now. I am calling in the Truelighth, who knows FAR more than I do. (I would also call on Frank Jensen, but he doesn't post here. If we get desperate enough, I will email him.)

And after I have had mine out I really MUST not down all the addresses, as it takes ages to get them out, being as they ar NOT all in the same drwwer (I file by date of acquisition, as otherwise every time I got a deck, I'd have to...)

Oh wait.

My database says for a mini I got in 1983 with a lidded rather than a tuck box "Box notes Weiser as the INITIATING publisher."
 

Philippe

Knowing what edition number is printed inside Phillipe's LWB could possibly help us here...

I don't know if that can be of any help but here are some pics :
 

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Philippe

Sorry the last scan looks too blurry

Here is the LWB with some cards :
 

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gregory

MR 78 is on my box - I am SURE it is...
 

rwcarter

Philippe, you have the 5th printing of the LWB (lowest number in the series in the inside cover). I'll have to remember to check my deck when I get home tonight.

Since we don't have access to when the decks are printed, the LWB is the only way I know of to place when a given deck might have been printed. Of course more LWBs are probably printed in a run (since they're smaller) than decks are printed. So the same printing of a deck might cross two printings of the LWB. And the same printing of the LWB might cross multiple printings of the deck. But as far as I know, there's no better way to associate the two together.

Rodney
 

rwcarter

My mini Weiser has a 2nd printing of the LWB with the 468 Park Avenue South address on the cover of it.