The origin of "tarotee"

Aeric

This word makes me curious. From what I can see, it's only used in conjunction with the RWS, not in any other decks before or after it.

What exactly makes the plaid tartan pattern significant? Although RWS has become a standard, it doesn't seem like the tarotee was adopted as a standard or mimicked in many other decks. Did Waite or Smith choose the pattern as conducive to reversals? Who coined the term?
 

Laura Borealis

Plaid backs are not uncommon in vintage cards. Here's one example (pretty photo, too). I've seen quite a few plaid-backed tarock decks while browsing around the Playing Card Museum site (http://a.trionfi.eu/WWPCM/). The search there isn't the best but I found this one from c. 1900.

So there's precedent for the plaid back on the RWS. I've grown to like it. :)
 

agent199

Its the only way to go :)