Jerry Kay Book of Thoth Tarot

The Vortex

Hi Everyone, I'm looking for the Jerry Kay Book of Thoth Tarot deck or scans of the cards, (It has nothing to do with the Crowley deck).
Can anyone help?
Thanks,
Trev.
 

The Vortex

Well, you lot weren't much help!
Here's what I've managed to find out -

the Jerry Kay tarot is very difficult to get hold of. Probably there were not many printed; the interest for tarot was not that great when it appeared. Only known copies are in Stuart Kaplan's and Frank Jensen's collections.
The deck was published in 1968 by Xeno Productions (which I believe was Jerry Kay's own company). A number of the majors are illustrated in Kaplan encyclopaedia vol. III. pg. 117-119 (even though the reduction in size does not do good to them; the original deck are relatively large).

Trev.
 

The Vortex

Ever get the feeling your talking to yourself....

I've managed to get a scan of 4 of the major arcana from the Jerry Kay book of Thoth tarot, it's here:- www.geocities.com/vftcult/JerryKay.bmp
(Sorry it's big)
Hope you like them.
Trev.
 

truthsayer

vortex,
sorry no one responded to your post. i for one, have never heard of this deck. thank-you for the website. we all love to look at rare and heretofore unheard of decks. wish you luck in finding a copy. perhaps if you contact tarot garden, jeannette or lorie may be able to help you find a copy through their sources.

http://www.tarotgarden.con
 

Cerulean

Thanks for letting us know.

Sometimes I find things in out of way old bookstores. I will email you if I ever do see anything for a good price.

Mari H.
 

The Vortex

Thanks for your replies Truthsayer and Mari, I have found a copy of the deck, that's where the scans are from but 10 of the major arcana are colored in, and not to well done either, so I am still looking for a set,
I would be very interested in peoples thoughts on the cards so please take a look at them and let me know.
www.geocities.com/vftcult/JerryKay.bmp
Trev.
 

Cerulean

abebooks.com lists this set:

Kay, Jerry
The Book Of Thoth
Los Angeles, CA: Xeno Publications, 1968. Boxed tarot deck with booklet previous owner has colored eleven cards from the major arcanum (not bad). Bookseller Inventory #p658
Price: US$ 43.00 (Convert Currency)
Bookseller: Occult Bookstore, Chicago, IL, U.S.A. (Search this Seller's Books)(Ask Bookseller a Question).


I don't mind black and white comic book art or decks that try to mix their symbolisms. However since I tend to favor historic or engravings that remind me of Italian designs, this reminded me of a deck that I gave away, Arcus Arcanum.

If you check scans of the Visconti Gold, you might see the artist/author did incorporate traditional symbolism as well as later esoteric ones--I am guessing some of the other symbols refer to glyphs with 'tree of life/kabbalah'associations? I'm not certain if its the Etteilla or Golden Dawn school of Egyptology.

I'll check Kaplan after my evening class, but my first take was this wasn't from my favorite Milanese/Marseilles or Thoth workalikes....best wishes on your searches!

Mari H.
 

The Vortex

Hi Mari,
Yes those were the cards I bought!
Thanks for the references to simillar decks I'll check them out.
The booklet that came with the cards lists the sybolism of every aspect of evey major arcana card, interesting reading.

Trev.
 

Rusty Neon

This has been a useful thread. I'm bumping it, hopefully for more comments. If anyone else has more information about this deck (e.g., history, iconography, closeness of pip card images to GD Book T description, etc.), it would be appreciated.

Some eBay images enclosed.

Does anyone have scans of the pip cards?

Thanks.
 

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Rusty Neon

http://www.tarotpassages.com/mkgtimeline.htm
A Timeline of the Occult and Divinatory Tarot from 1750 to 1980

1968/70 The Book of Thoth: The Ultimate Tarot by Jerry Kay published by Xeno Publications, 6311 Yucca St., Los Angeles, CA. Deck and booklet. B&W. Available as both 22 and 78 card decks, either in booklet form or as card deck.