German OTO 'Thoth' deck

Laura Borealis said:

Aren't they locked away at the Warburg Institute or something? So you'd probably have to be an academic and show credentials etc.

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Errrrmmmm yeah ... but I am talking about exhibits , I am sure I have seen them advertised and talked about .... pretty sure even was one way down here with some of her artwork?

(And Laura, I dont remember you visiting Thoth forum before ... come in, come in ... welcome )

Aeon418 said:

The Thoth paintings are part of the Yorke collection housed at the Warburg Institute of the University of London. To gain access you probably need to be an accademic or have a reference from an accademic.

Cross posted with above

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When I was doing my MA, I studied with Gombrich and had a pass for the Warburg Institute. I had a pass (early 90s) and had access to the print rooms and everything.

I wasn't particularly into Crowley. I mean, I remembered the name from my early 80s interest in tarot but I never had a Thoth deck.

Now I'm kicking myself. I could have handled them now I think of it. During my time in London doing an MA I had access to all the print rooms and libraries and personally handled all sorts of original manuscripts I found interesting - Rembrandt drawings, Van Dyck, Aubrey Beardsley, Virginia Woolf's correspondence etc etc but I never once asked to see the Harris watercolours when I was studying at the Warburg. And I lived (virtually) next door too!

I thought that a few of the watercolours were going to the Venice Biennal this year. I have a friend who has just published a book (indirectly) related to Crowley and he was telling me. They've selected a few to be on show there.

Yes, they are. The details are in a thread I posted about OTO updates, but I'm too tired to look for it now ))):

ravenest said:

Errrrmmmm yeah ... but I am talking about exhibits , I am sure I have seen them advertised and talked about .... pretty sure even was one way down here with some of her artwork?

(And Laura, I dont remember you visiting Thoth forum before ... come in, come in ... welcome )

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I poke my nose in now and then. Thank you!

There may have been exhibitions. I'm not sure. But I thought gregory was talking about where they're kept - I could be wrong - I wasn't following super-closely


As far as the Urania/Verlag Thoths go - I wouldn't mind one. I have seen photos and I think the colors look very nice. I love my old greenie though, and wouldn't give it up even if the colors are off.

Aeon418 said:

Also it might be harder to get access now than in the past. Rumour has it that several items have gone missing from the Yorke collection over the years. I guess the temptation to own a real bit of Crowleyana was just too much for some sticky fingered individuals.

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Really! You dont have 'that' over there? Here many places wont touch Crowley books, cards, associated stuff because .... wait for it .... not what you might think .... because people flog it. For some reason (here anyway) people steal Crowley stuff. Theiving little Thelemites

They just about emptied the local library of then (AC books) when I lived in the city. (The local country libarary has nothing like that just loads of vampire romance whish someone woulod steal all of them and get them out of circulation.

'Take what thou wilt' ? Would be 'black magicians' and 'satanists' on the dole? White-lighters too embarrased to front the casier ???

Laura Borealis said:

I poke my nose in now and then. Thank you!

There may have been exhibitions. I'm not sure. But I thought gregory was talking about where they're kept - I could be wrong - I wasn't following super-closely


As far as the Urania/Verlag Thoths go - I wouldn't mind one. I have seen photos and I think the colors look very nice. I love my old greenie though, and wouldn't give it up even if the colors are off.

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Yeah ... I have a VERY old VERY worn greenie, feel the same (but it has 78 cards )

Anyway, re. post #16 ... what are you guys paying for a Thoth at the moment, what do you think of the price I quoted?

ravenest said:

Anyway, re. post #16 ... what are you guys paying for a Thoth at the moment, what do you think of the price I quoted?

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Oh, I missed that. It was really a 1962? That sounds like a great price. I'm not familiar with that edition (not being a serious collector). The one I have is a "white box C" (as per this comparison: http://www.tarotgarden.com/library/decks/thothtable.php) and I paid about the same - $35 or so - & obviously mine was a lot newer.

I have the most generic version possible, getting scuffed lately, as I've used it these past two years more than the ten that I've had it combined. I wouldn't pay anything for a collectors' deck, as I am both cheap and stingy and I wouldn't use it.

Also, I'm doing the night shift, am bored and enjoy posting superfluous comments.

ravenest said:

Really! You dont have 'that' over there? Here many places wont touch Crowley books, cards, associated stuff because .... wait for it .... not what you might think .... because people flog it. For some reason (here anyway) people steal Crowley stuff. Theiving little Thelemites

They just about emptied the local library of then (AC books) when I lived in the city. (The local country libarary has nothing like that just loads of vampire romance whish someone woulod steal all of them and get them out of circulation.

'Take what thou wilt' ? Would be 'black magicians' and 'satanists' on the dole? White-lighters too embarrased to front the casier ???

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I work in a library and I can tell you that all books about religion, mind-body-spirit, New Age type stuff, etc--any and all of that sort of thing seems to be considered fair game. Can't keep the stuff on the shelf. So it's not just Thelemites! It's also Buddhists and Christians and Wiccans! Another book we might as well hand out at the door because it's nicked as soon as we put it out: tattoo art and patterns. Gone in 60 seconds.

(Sorry for the digression. It might also amuse you to know that stamp and coin collecting books get stolen a lot, too. Thieving little OAPs!)