University Books editions from 19XX to 19XX
DustyWhite
THANK YOU! 
I still can't reach Cerulean, but Saskia assures me that she her mailbox is probably just stuffed. Thank you very very much for posting, and posting pics. This stupid book has been driving me nuts.
And to make matters just a tiny bit more embarrassing just yesterday what shows up on my doorstep but two UB PKtTs. One is exactly what you and Cerulean have, verifying her statements exactly. I will post pics to show you my findings.
Here is where it gets weird. I have found what might be up to five or six (please don't be six) versions of the UB PKtT that have to be accounted for in any accurate history. I am assembling photographs and notes on every book whose existence I can prove and will post them as soon as I have verified my findings. I don't want to post unconfirmed ideas as facts, so what follows should (please) be considered speculation:
1959 (Let's call this one "A" just because I need a working organizational title). Green end papers, 344 pages. This came with an 8-page fold-out duotone catalog of UBs current offerings (pink - of course, and black). 101 West 31st street. Images in color.This is what just arrived, and should be what you have Gregory, and what Cerulean has. It seems they took from this "early stock" and used these as review copies. My educated guess is that these were printed, along with the cards, but the maroon slipcases were held up, because the cards that accompanied these books/decks have New Hyde Park stamped on the sides. It's like they moved in between printing the cards and books, and getting the boxes printed. Something like this happened with Doug Morgan at Morgan & Morgan in 1972.
1959 ("B" - as above) 259 pages (the last 15 pages are numbered, but they are advertisements). New Hyde Park. Images in color.
1959/1962(?) (ugh! . . . okay . . "C") 344 pages (oh, we are back to THIS again) but with 15 pages of ads (unnumbered) with the last page blank. B/W images (de L PKtT style). Please note that all three books are the same size, but this one is thicker. Also New Hyde Park. Please also note that each edition lists different books for sale in their ad pages. They changed the text in the book blocks, not just on the dust jackets (below).
(I am starting to pull my hair out . . .)
And then, there is the "third printing," which I have ordered. This is (I think) "the 1966 version" possibly after UB was bought by Carol, but they seemed to keep the UB name. So we are up to . . four provable copies?
And in the catalog that comes with the 1959 "A" (temp name only) version there is a pretty picture of a PKtT by UB and it has a solid white cover with black print. Okay, so now my head e'splodes. This is circa 1960, not 1909, or 1910. And it's in freakin' New York City! Somebody get a rope, because there should be all kinds of records of who printed what and when and where and how. NYC has records of practically everything that ever happened at least back to the market crash, but no matter how hard I research there is no such animal. I chase a white whale.
Finally, there is one last possible (#6, please don't be #6) UB PKtT which probably does not exist. Seriously, you should stop reading now.
Okay, so decks. I have asked around and obtained pictures of (so we can prove this in our history books someday) that there are decks with two advertisement cards with the 101 West 31st Street, NY 1 address (just found this today); but those decks come in the maroon slipcase that says New Hyde Park on the sides. Me thinks UB had trouble getting boxes on time (please see below).
There are also 1959 ("B"? - just keeping track of what deck goes with what book) decks that come in the maroon box (NHP stamp, yada yada) but have three catalog cards (for UB's 19 current products) also listing the NHP location.
Then there are tuck boxes that have an advertisement card (for the PKtT) that is in pink/black ink but with the NHP address. No problem there . . .
. . . but leads me to the idea that there might just be a sixth version of the UBPKtT: There are tuck boxes (later prints) that have that same advert card as above, but in all black ink and it says Citadel Press (Not UB), a price change, and an extra line offering to pay postage. So, if they did that, it seems that if they were printing a new PKtT they would drop the UB name and insert Citadel - as they had no problem changing plates (and thus ink colors).
Grr . . . all I am trying to do is to make sense of this and record a little history for future researchers and collectors. These guys kept changing things (and moving!)
Oh, and just to make it more fun, there are also UB decks from New Jersey.
That is me (bald now, from hear-tearing-out activities)
Okay, so I hope this helps. Apologies to Cerulean. UB led us to believe that there were three printings, but when you take into account that each of the PKtT versions above have different dust jackets and there is yet another dust jacket I have seen that is not listed above (#7?) with a smaller book (I have only seen one image of ever) this turns out to be a rather complicated knot to unravel. I love the challenge but it is still driving me nuts. I hope that we can solve this and make it easier for everyone who loves these decks and books.
By the way all of this research also confirms my suspicions that UB copied from an A deck; apologies to anyone who found this out before I did. I have not read anything on it elsewhere. As to Merrimack (later Shackman), and Causeway, I can't quite prove it yet, but the evidence strongly points to them "borrowing" (legally or otherwise) UB's later images. The UB print quality seemed to deteriorate over time. I need to research this as well. If anyone knows of direct ties between these companies please let me know. Thanks in advance!)
I still can't reach Cerulean, but Saskia assures me that she her mailbox is probably just stuffed. Thank you very very much for posting, and posting pics. This stupid book has been driving me nuts.
And to make matters just a tiny bit more embarrassing just yesterday what shows up on my doorstep but two UB PKtTs. One is exactly what you and Cerulean have, verifying her statements exactly. I will post pics to show you my findings.
Here is where it gets weird. I have found what might be up to five or six (please don't be six) versions of the UB PKtT that have to be accounted for in any accurate history. I am assembling photographs and notes on every book whose existence I can prove and will post them as soon as I have verified my findings. I don't want to post unconfirmed ideas as facts, so what follows should (please) be considered speculation:
1959 (Let's call this one "A" just because I need a working organizational title). Green end papers, 344 pages. This came with an 8-page fold-out duotone catalog of UBs current offerings (pink - of course, and black). 101 West 31st street. Images in color.This is what just arrived, and should be what you have Gregory, and what Cerulean has. It seems they took from this "early stock" and used these as review copies. My educated guess is that these were printed, along with the cards, but the maroon slipcases were held up, because the cards that accompanied these books/decks have New Hyde Park stamped on the sides. It's like they moved in between printing the cards and books, and getting the boxes printed. Something like this happened with Doug Morgan at Morgan & Morgan in 1972.
1959 ("B" - as above) 259 pages (the last 15 pages are numbered, but they are advertisements). New Hyde Park. Images in color.
1959/1962(?) (ugh! . . . okay . . "C") 344 pages (oh, we are back to THIS again) but with 15 pages of ads (unnumbered) with the last page blank. B/W images (de L PKtT style). Please note that all three books are the same size, but this one is thicker. Also New Hyde Park. Please also note that each edition lists different books for sale in their ad pages. They changed the text in the book blocks, not just on the dust jackets (below).
(I am starting to pull my hair out . . .)
And then, there is the "third printing," which I have ordered. This is (I think) "the 1966 version" possibly after UB was bought by Carol, but they seemed to keep the UB name. So we are up to . . four provable copies?
And in the catalog that comes with the 1959 "A" (temp name only) version there is a pretty picture of a PKtT by UB and it has a solid white cover with black print. Okay, so now my head e'splodes. This is circa 1960, not 1909, or 1910. And it's in freakin' New York City! Somebody get a rope, because there should be all kinds of records of who printed what and when and where and how. NYC has records of practically everything that ever happened at least back to the market crash, but no matter how hard I research there is no such animal. I chase a white whale.
Finally, there is one last possible (#6, please don't be #6) UB PKtT which probably does not exist. Seriously, you should stop reading now.
Okay, so decks. I have asked around and obtained pictures of (so we can prove this in our history books someday) that there are decks with two advertisement cards with the 101 West 31st Street, NY 1 address (just found this today); but those decks come in the maroon slipcase that says New Hyde Park on the sides. Me thinks UB had trouble getting boxes on time (please see below).
There are also 1959 ("B"? - just keeping track of what deck goes with what book) decks that come in the maroon box (NHP stamp, yada yada) but have three catalog cards (for UB's 19 current products) also listing the NHP location.
Then there are tuck boxes that have an advertisement card (for the PKtT) that is in pink/black ink but with the NHP address. No problem there . . .
. . . but leads me to the idea that there might just be a sixth version of the UBPKtT: There are tuck boxes (later prints) that have that same advert card as above, but in all black ink and it says Citadel Press (Not UB), a price change, and an extra line offering to pay postage. So, if they did that, it seems that if they were printing a new PKtT they would drop the UB name and insert Citadel - as they had no problem changing plates (and thus ink colors).
Grr . . . all I am trying to do is to make sense of this and record a little history for future researchers and collectors. These guys kept changing things (and moving!)
Oh, and just to make it more fun, there are also UB decks from New Jersey.
That is me (bald now, from hear-tearing-out activities)
Okay, so I hope this helps. Apologies to Cerulean. UB led us to believe that there were three printings, but when you take into account that each of the PKtT versions above have different dust jackets and there is yet another dust jacket I have seen that is not listed above (#7?) with a smaller book (I have only seen one image of ever) this turns out to be a rather complicated knot to unravel. I love the challenge but it is still driving me nuts. I hope that we can solve this and make it easier for everyone who loves these decks and books.
By the way all of this research also confirms my suspicions that UB copied from an A deck; apologies to anyone who found this out before I did. I have not read anything on it elsewhere. As to Merrimack (later Shackman), and Causeway, I can't quite prove it yet, but the evidence strongly points to them "borrowing" (legally or otherwise) UB's later images. The UB print quality seemed to deteriorate over time. I need to research this as well. If anyone knows of direct ties between these companies please let me know. Thanks in advance!)
Attachments
gregory
For the record - mine is 344 pages and no ads (Pity, they look like fun...) Just so you know ! The books they published up to no 17 are shown on the back of the dustjacket with the same details as you show in the book screenie.
I have two UB decks - a tuckbox and a maroon box. The tuckbox one was unquestionably bought new in 1975 and the box is the pink edged one with a New Hyde Park address - the tuckbox has New York 1104 on the BACK of the box but not on the sides; the one in the maroon box doesn't have that anywhere. Both have the pink ankh backs (if any ever had another) but the one in the solid box has much paler backs. The one in the tuck box has NO extra cards even of any kind. So I assume that that's the centre one in your photo. VERY odd though - as I could swear I have seen the one shown with the top deck in my time.
The maroon box one has two advertisement cards in black and white, NOT like any of the ones you have posted here ! - one about the deck and one advertising the book (for $5 and $7.50 respectively) and THEY have the 101 West 31 St., New York 1, N.Y. address on. I think that will be the one you described.
I have two UB decks - a tuckbox and a maroon box. The tuckbox one was unquestionably bought new in 1975 and the box is the pink edged one with a New Hyde Park address - the tuckbox has New York 1104 on the BACK of the box but not on the sides; the one in the maroon box doesn't have that anywhere. Both have the pink ankh backs (if any ever had another) but the one in the solid box has much paler backs. The one in the tuck box has NO extra cards even of any kind. So I assume that that's the centre one in your photo. VERY odd though - as I could swear I have seen the one shown with the top deck in my time.
The maroon box one has two advertisement cards in black and white, NOT like any of the ones you have posted here ! - one about the deck and one advertising the book (for $5 and $7.50 respectively) and THEY have the 101 West 31 St., New York 1, N.Y. address on. I think that will be the one you described.
DustyWhite
Yaay, thanks Gregory.
Yes, what you have should be the very first UB deck (I am still calling it an "A" just for short term simplicity). That should come with an ad for the book and a vanity card telling you how great the deck is.
Later decks will come with three catalog cards (did I attach those before? It is late and my brain is numb. I should just in case) which mimic what the dust jacket lists on the back BUT also lists the deck as #19, and something else. They are printed in pink/burgundy on one side and black on the other.
Still later decks come with the pink & black ink advertisement cards. Those would be the tuck boxes, and the last should be the black print only advertisement cards that say Citadel Press instead of University Books.
Your UB book should be the book that was available at the time that deck was printed. Why the maroon slipcases have the NHP listing doesn't add up unless the boxes arrived unstamped (and were stamped after the move).
If I have forgotten any images please let me now.
EDIT: Oh (brain fog). If the tuck box edition was from 1975 then we can rule out any zip code transition things and mark that as "most likely" a 1975 deck printing typo. That could help date the 1975 decks, as other deck boxes do not have that typo. Just an idea . . .
Yes, what you have should be the very first UB deck (I am still calling it an "A" just for short term simplicity). That should come with an ad for the book and a vanity card telling you how great the deck is.
Later decks will come with three catalog cards (did I attach those before? It is late and my brain is numb. I should just in case) which mimic what the dust jacket lists on the back BUT also lists the deck as #19, and something else. They are printed in pink/burgundy on one side and black on the other.
Still later decks come with the pink & black ink advertisement cards. Those would be the tuck boxes, and the last should be the black print only advertisement cards that say Citadel Press instead of University Books.
Your UB book should be the book that was available at the time that deck was printed. Why the maroon slipcases have the NHP listing doesn't add up unless the boxes arrived unstamped (and were stamped after the move).
If I have forgotten any images please let me now.
EDIT: Oh (brain fog). If the tuck box edition was from 1975 then we can rule out any zip code transition things and mark that as "most likely" a 1975 deck printing typo. That could help date the 1975 decks, as other deck boxes do not have that typo. Just an idea . . .
Attachments
gregory
It was BOUGHT then - in a bog standard department store in Canada. Who knows how long they'd had it, though.
But no added card of any kind. I never saw the ones you link in this last post, but I THOUGHT I had seen the one in your earlier post; I am very puzzled and if I have the energy I may go upstairs later and do a Major Trawl !
Or not....
Those are exactly the cards in my maroon box, though, yes.
You need rwcarter and RichardG to chip in here... Both are completionists and I am not in their class on this one !
RichardG
Where did those 'Library Of The Mystic Arts' cards come from?
I don't know if this will help, hinder or just add noise to the discussion...
My red slip case deck also has the two cards (1) ad for the PKT $7:50 (2) ad for deck $5 - with the 101 West St address at the bottom.
My New Hyde Park, New York 1104 tuckbox has one card - the Pink & Black PKT ad card and a LWB.
The ad card & the LWB both have the 1615 Hillside Avenue New Hyde Park address and a zip of 11040.
My UB PKT front endpaper also has an ad for the PKT $7:50 and the ad for deck $5 - and the New Hyde Park address at the bottom.
Green ends, 359 pages incl the 15 numbered pages of Library of the Mystic Arts ads - "with 78 plates in four colors" card pics.
And just to complicate things....I notice that Gregory's PKT has 101 West St printed on the inside front endpaper AND the New Hyde Park, New York address on the back cover of the same dust jacket. Oh dear.
I don't have any 'Library Of The Mystic Arts' cards and I want to know where you found them please, Dusty!
I also don't have any dates - just more address inconsistencies to add to the mix...
I don't know if this will help, hinder or just add noise to the discussion...
My red slip case deck also has the two cards (1) ad for the PKT $7:50 (2) ad for deck $5 - with the 101 West St address at the bottom.
My New Hyde Park, New York 1104 tuckbox has one card - the Pink & Black PKT ad card and a LWB.
The ad card & the LWB both have the 1615 Hillside Avenue New Hyde Park address and a zip of 11040.
My UB PKT front endpaper also has an ad for the PKT $7:50 and the ad for deck $5 - and the New Hyde Park address at the bottom.
Green ends, 359 pages incl the 15 numbered pages of Library of the Mystic Arts ads - "with 78 plates in four colors" card pics.
And just to complicate things....I notice that Gregory's PKT has 101 West St printed on the inside front endpaper AND the New Hyde Park, New York address on the back cover of the same dust jacket. Oh dear.
I don't have any 'Library Of The Mystic Arts' cards and I want to know where you found them please, Dusty!
I also don't have any dates - just more address inconsistencies to add to the mix...
Attachments
DustyWhite
Thank you VERY much Richard for contributing to this discussion
I believe your red slip case deck is the prototype deck used as review copies, or "the batch from which review copies were issued." There is no evidence of any address before this for University Books, and their oldest known catalog that appeared at this time had New Hyde Park listed as their location. It strongly appears that immediately after the first batch of cards and PKtTs were printed (in color) the company moved and the first catalogs were printed and boxes (maroon slipcases) were stamped.
To date, all of the known red maroon slip cases have the NHP location stamped on them, but a handful of decks have the vanity cards (and advertising card for the PKtT with the 101 W. 31st street address. This is not unheard of in business of course, but very curious, as if UB was a visionary company, wanting the very best for its decks and not getting it in time. By sheer coincidence I have just endured possibly a similar experience:
I set about creating an exact replica of the 1909 and 1910 decks for my research team and students. Just a few decks mind you, as I have no desire to start making and selling tarot cards. I spared no expense within the bounds of sanity to create a perfect replica, but one different enough to avoid fraudulent eBay sales (I changed the backs from blue to brown - but I did not alter the art like everyone else has). Now comes the problem . . . Chinese New year was swiftly approaching, and all of my negotiations on Alibaba were going nowhere. It was a giant cluster**** of insanity. Finally I had to wait for Chinese New Year to begin, endure, and end before I could resume looking for a company to design a worthy box. What that means is that the decks sat for over 3 months "gathering dust" whilst I sought out a box manufacturer for the decks.
It is not impossible that something similar happened to UB; specifically, that their decks sat in limbo for a time while they found the right box manufacturer, or possibly some internal squabbles in the company about top lift boxes versus slip cases, and possibly even tuck boxes (the usual business squabbles: cost vs quality, and profit margin).
UB was always innovating. You can see it in the inconsistency of their product. They were always tinkering with things, trying out new ideas. Knowing this, it makes it believable that their vision was a bit scattered or inconsistent; leading to the mess we have today.
The catalog that I have, that came to me with the 1959 first (known) edition/first printing (I am referring to this as the "A" variant because there are several now; all distinct) lists 37 different books for sale. It is an 8 page catalog with 6 pages of listings. The back cover is decorative, so they most likely had no more than 35 titles at this time (they were not pressed for space or they could have continued the listings on the back cover). But this catalog has the NHP location, so there is doubt as whether it was representative of their first offerings. The "A" version of their PKtT lists only 17 items on their dust jacket (which could be a pace limitation issue). The PKtT interestingly enough was #18 in their catalog, and the deck #19. I really should go through each item in that catalog and find the earliest UB pub date of each to see if any of them is post-1959. That could help me date the catalog. What greatly concerns me is that each book (but sadly not the deck - which could be a clue) has a picture next to the description. Wouldn't you know it but the PKtT has an all white cover with black ink. This stands in stark contrast to the oldest known PKtTs from UB that have the red/white dust jacket. Perhaps the one in the photograph was a one-off prototype.
"Arrrgh!"
The "B" version (also presumably 1959, but now in NHP also lists each of their offerings by # (1., 2., 14. . . .) but skips numbers and goes from #4 to #33. I am thinking that this printing offered their best-sellers, as only the most salacious topics were listed here.
Then there are other versions that have differences, including thickness, even when every other aspect of the book is exactly the same (page count, page numbering, bookblock printing, similarity of ad pages). And . . . I just checked my "A" version and sure enough it says 101 W. 31st on the inside flap, and on the back lists NHP. :-(
So the PKtTs are a mess, but so much so that they might shed light on the decks they are associate with. I hope this preamble didn't bore anyone to death. I sincerely believe that a careful examination of these PKtTs will reveal a lot about the chronology of the decks.
As to the Hillside address and 5 digit zip code. After talking to other deck owners I have found that the 4 digit zip code appears to be a misprint that happened once on the boxes, and possibly not on the first run. It need to make sense that the 4 digit zip code represents the first print run of tuck- boxes, but I have no evidence to back that up. The pink/black inked advertisement card for the UB PKtT that appears in the tuck box versions lists the Hillside Avenue address and a zip code of 11040. The box that that deck (of mine) came in says 1104. But the other tuck box lists a zip code of 11041 and had printing on the inside of the box (similar to the backs of the cards, including the pink ankhs).
So, after all of that (and everything above), I would like to propose a starting point of possible lineage/deck+book+catalog timeline. Please feel free to tear this apart:
1) University Books ("UB") is formed on West 31st street and prints a short run of decks and books. SPECULATION: Perhaps, like any other business they quickly outgrew their original location, or the rent was just too high, having dumped a large investment into super-premium printing of decks, books, and boxes.
2) UB moves to New Hyde Park ("NHP"), or maybe that is where their print shop (or warehouse) always was, and they just "lose the fancy office." This would explain the dual address listing on the first (known) PKtTs.
3) The first decks are released with the W 31st address in the very first black and white vanity card and advertisement card for their PKtT, BUT the NHP location stamped on the sides of the maroon slipcases.
4) At this time the first PKtTs ("A") versions are released. No ad pages. Possibly the catalog I have with 35 listings (up to #37) is included. This catalog came to me with this copy.
5) Then the second run of PKtTs comes out: same green end papers, but with different dust jackets and catalog listings in the back. These ad pages are numbered, and they go up to item #42. Interesting to me is that they skip numbers, but have a listing 11 and also an "11 a"; companion books by Montague Summers.
6) At this time I think the second run of decks in maroon slipcases were released, with "catalog cards" listing numbered entries for sale.
7) After that tuck box decks with the zip code typo 1104 and no price on the back of the box. This deck came with a pink/black ink ad for the PKtT and the Hillside address with the zip code 11040. The ad was a coupon for $2.50 off the PKtT. ALSO, this deck came with a white LWB - I believe this is the first LWB ever printed. It had a white cover.
On a side note, this LWB uses the same exact font and cover layout that Tarot Productions used in 1968 for the "accurate color tones" deck by Frankie Albano. This smacks of Tarot Productions blatantly lifting the "yellow box" idea and the LWB exactly from UB - a few years later. SPECULATION: Given how Causeway and Merrimack seemingly used UBs images, it may be that someone from UB broke off to do their own thing.
Note #2: During this time print quality varied wildly, with the burgundies and reds becoming shocking purple, and the blues becoming so intense as to hurt the eyes. This was not accidental. This is a dramatic shift in colors that had to be intentional.
8) These were followed by an identical tuck box with the zip code correction on the box, the price below it, and pink printing on the insides of the boxes. I have no evidence of LWBs for these decks as of yet. It is possible this box/deck actually came first, as the colors are less jarring.
9) Later, Citadel Press reprints the deck and issues the advertisement card for the PKtT with an address in New Jersey, but this advertisement card is black ink only. No word on LWB or PKtT.
10) Back to the PKtTs. The 1966 version proclaims itself the "3rd printing," and claims that the two previous printings were in 1960 and 1962.
10a) The point above goes a long way to explain the shift from green end papers ("A" and "B" editions) to the undated ("C") edition which had white end papers and ad pages and listings that were unnumbered.
If you read this far I apologize to your brain.
I might have to rectify this timeline a bit. It is late and I wrote this all in one sitting.
I believe your red slip case deck is the prototype deck used as review copies, or "the batch from which review copies were issued." There is no evidence of any address before this for University Books, and their oldest known catalog that appeared at this time had New Hyde Park listed as their location. It strongly appears that immediately after the first batch of cards and PKtTs were printed (in color) the company moved and the first catalogs were printed and boxes (maroon slipcases) were stamped.
To date, all of the known red maroon slip cases have the NHP location stamped on them, but a handful of decks have the vanity cards (and advertising card for the PKtT with the 101 W. 31st street address. This is not unheard of in business of course, but very curious, as if UB was a visionary company, wanting the very best for its decks and not getting it in time. By sheer coincidence I have just endured possibly a similar experience:
I set about creating an exact replica of the 1909 and 1910 decks for my research team and students. Just a few decks mind you, as I have no desire to start making and selling tarot cards. I spared no expense within the bounds of sanity to create a perfect replica, but one different enough to avoid fraudulent eBay sales (I changed the backs from blue to brown - but I did not alter the art like everyone else has). Now comes the problem . . . Chinese New year was swiftly approaching, and all of my negotiations on Alibaba were going nowhere. It was a giant cluster**** of insanity. Finally I had to wait for Chinese New Year to begin, endure, and end before I could resume looking for a company to design a worthy box. What that means is that the decks sat for over 3 months "gathering dust" whilst I sought out a box manufacturer for the decks.
It is not impossible that something similar happened to UB; specifically, that their decks sat in limbo for a time while they found the right box manufacturer, or possibly some internal squabbles in the company about top lift boxes versus slip cases, and possibly even tuck boxes (the usual business squabbles: cost vs quality, and profit margin).
UB was always innovating. You can see it in the inconsistency of their product. They were always tinkering with things, trying out new ideas. Knowing this, it makes it believable that their vision was a bit scattered or inconsistent; leading to the mess we have today.
The catalog that I have, that came to me with the 1959 first (known) edition/first printing (I am referring to this as the "A" variant because there are several now; all distinct) lists 37 different books for sale. It is an 8 page catalog with 6 pages of listings. The back cover is decorative, so they most likely had no more than 35 titles at this time (they were not pressed for space or they could have continued the listings on the back cover). But this catalog has the NHP location, so there is doubt as whether it was representative of their first offerings. The "A" version of their PKtT lists only 17 items on their dust jacket (which could be a pace limitation issue). The PKtT interestingly enough was #18 in their catalog, and the deck #19. I really should go through each item in that catalog and find the earliest UB pub date of each to see if any of them is post-1959. That could help me date the catalog. What greatly concerns me is that each book (but sadly not the deck - which could be a clue) has a picture next to the description. Wouldn't you know it but the PKtT has an all white cover with black ink. This stands in stark contrast to the oldest known PKtTs from UB that have the red/white dust jacket. Perhaps the one in the photograph was a one-off prototype.
"Arrrgh!"
The "B" version (also presumably 1959, but now in NHP also lists each of their offerings by # (1., 2., 14. . . .) but skips numbers and goes from #4 to #33. I am thinking that this printing offered their best-sellers, as only the most salacious topics were listed here.
Then there are other versions that have differences, including thickness, even when every other aspect of the book is exactly the same (page count, page numbering, bookblock printing, similarity of ad pages). And . . . I just checked my "A" version and sure enough it says 101 W. 31st on the inside flap, and on the back lists NHP. :-(
So the PKtTs are a mess, but so much so that they might shed light on the decks they are associate with. I hope this preamble didn't bore anyone to death. I sincerely believe that a careful examination of these PKtTs will reveal a lot about the chronology of the decks.
As to the Hillside address and 5 digit zip code. After talking to other deck owners I have found that the 4 digit zip code appears to be a misprint that happened once on the boxes, and possibly not on the first run. It need to make sense that the 4 digit zip code represents the first print run of tuck- boxes, but I have no evidence to back that up. The pink/black inked advertisement card for the UB PKtT that appears in the tuck box versions lists the Hillside Avenue address and a zip code of 11040. The box that that deck (of mine) came in says 1104. But the other tuck box lists a zip code of 11041 and had printing on the inside of the box (similar to the backs of the cards, including the pink ankhs).
So, after all of that (and everything above), I would like to propose a starting point of possible lineage/deck+book+catalog timeline. Please feel free to tear this apart:
1) University Books ("UB") is formed on West 31st street and prints a short run of decks and books. SPECULATION: Perhaps, like any other business they quickly outgrew their original location, or the rent was just too high, having dumped a large investment into super-premium printing of decks, books, and boxes.
2) UB moves to New Hyde Park ("NHP"), or maybe that is where their print shop (or warehouse) always was, and they just "lose the fancy office." This would explain the dual address listing on the first (known) PKtTs.
3) The first decks are released with the W 31st address in the very first black and white vanity card and advertisement card for their PKtT, BUT the NHP location stamped on the sides of the maroon slipcases.
4) At this time the first PKtTs ("A") versions are released. No ad pages. Possibly the catalog I have with 35 listings (up to #37) is included. This catalog came to me with this copy.
5) Then the second run of PKtTs comes out: same green end papers, but with different dust jackets and catalog listings in the back. These ad pages are numbered, and they go up to item #42. Interesting to me is that they skip numbers, but have a listing 11 and also an "11 a"; companion books by Montague Summers.
6) At this time I think the second run of decks in maroon slipcases were released, with "catalog cards" listing numbered entries for sale.
7) After that tuck box decks with the zip code typo 1104 and no price on the back of the box. This deck came with a pink/black ink ad for the PKtT and the Hillside address with the zip code 11040. The ad was a coupon for $2.50 off the PKtT. ALSO, this deck came with a white LWB - I believe this is the first LWB ever printed. It had a white cover.
On a side note, this LWB uses the same exact font and cover layout that Tarot Productions used in 1968 for the "accurate color tones" deck by Frankie Albano. This smacks of Tarot Productions blatantly lifting the "yellow box" idea and the LWB exactly from UB - a few years later. SPECULATION: Given how Causeway and Merrimack seemingly used UBs images, it may be that someone from UB broke off to do their own thing.
Note #2: During this time print quality varied wildly, with the burgundies and reds becoming shocking purple, and the blues becoming so intense as to hurt the eyes. This was not accidental. This is a dramatic shift in colors that had to be intentional.
8) These were followed by an identical tuck box with the zip code correction on the box, the price below it, and pink printing on the insides of the boxes. I have no evidence of LWBs for these decks as of yet. It is possible this box/deck actually came first, as the colors are less jarring.
9) Later, Citadel Press reprints the deck and issues the advertisement card for the PKtT with an address in New Jersey, but this advertisement card is black ink only. No word on LWB or PKtT.
10) Back to the PKtTs. The 1966 version proclaims itself the "3rd printing," and claims that the two previous printings were in 1960 and 1962.
10a) The point above goes a long way to explain the shift from green end papers ("A" and "B" editions) to the undated ("C") edition which had white end papers and ad pages and listings that were unnumbered.
If you read this far I apologize to your brain.
I might have to rectify this timeline a bit. It is late and I wrote this all in one sitting.
RichardG
Off on a tangent - perhaps for a different thread.
Well spotted Dusty! Frankie copied UB's early 1960's font in his 1968 Albano LWB.
Ofcourse, UB's 1960's LWB is the first time we see the infamous "the consultation is mase" mistake.
This is corrected in Albano's 1968 New Color LWB - "the consultation is made"
But now have a look at the 1972 Rider Blue Box Blushing Fool, Fitzroy Square London LWB.
The "consultation is mase" mistake is back!
It's almost as if some-one in the US sent Rider UK a University Books LWB. 
Hmmmm......all this copying does not make dating anything any easier....
Thanks to our absent friend Fulgour for piquing my interest in this.
http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=54147
Well spotted Dusty! Frankie copied UB's early 1960's font in his 1968 Albano LWB.
Ofcourse, UB's 1960's LWB is the first time we see the infamous "the consultation is mase" mistake.
This is corrected in Albano's 1968 New Color LWB - "the consultation is made"
But now have a look at the 1972 Rider Blue Box Blushing Fool, Fitzroy Square London LWB.
The "consultation is mase" mistake is back!
It's almost as if some-one in the US sent Rider UK a University Books LWB.
Hmmmm......all this copying does not make dating anything any easier....
Thanks to our absent friend Fulgour for piquing my interest in this.
http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=54147
Attachments
DustyWhite
Grr! I saay! Grr!~
LOL! Thanks a lot Richard!
Now I had to pull out my Waddingtons and Muller 1972 Rider decks (blue top lift box) to see if they had LWBs, and then if . . . yeah, it is EXACTLY like your image. So I checked Merrimack. Their LWB was an 8-panel foldout, so it had no such notes. Then I went to check de Laurence (er . . . "Waite!") only to find that after bullet point #4 there was no text; just the rest of the page blank.
So I checked a handy UB PKtT and found the same as de L's "Veil." I don't think at this point I need to grab anything older, as those two pretty much just reprinted what was already available - word for word.
So what does this say of Rider (circa 1972?)
The company that made the tarot famous (outside of France, Germany, Spain, Italy . . .) lifted the LWB from UB? grrr-animals!! For shame I say, good sir!
Oh well, they may have already been sold by that time. Poo!
I had never noticed that mistake, and yet there it is; and worse, it was repeated by people who did not proof their copy. Tarot Productions retyped the words, so they noticed the mistake. You can tell by their hyphenation. But Rider apparently copied the book block (typeset text) exactly, as if by camera or photocopy. I am frustrated one of my all time favorite companies would stoop so low.
LOL! Thanks a lot Richard!
Now I had to pull out my Waddingtons and Muller 1972 Rider decks (blue top lift box) to see if they had LWBs, and then if . . . yeah, it is EXACTLY like your image. So I checked Merrimack. Their LWB was an 8-panel foldout, so it had no such notes. Then I went to check de Laurence (er . . . "Waite!") only to find that after bullet point #4 there was no text; just the rest of the page blank.
So I checked a handy UB PKtT and found the same as de L's "Veil." I don't think at this point I need to grab anything older, as those two pretty much just reprinted what was already available - word for word.
So what does this say of Rider (circa 1972?)
The company that made the tarot famous (outside of France, Germany, Spain, Italy . . .) lifted the LWB from UB? grrr-animals!! For shame I say, good sir!
Oh well, they may have already been sold by that time. Poo!
I had never noticed that mistake, and yet there it is; and worse, it was repeated by people who did not proof their copy. Tarot Productions retyped the words, so they noticed the mistake. You can tell by their hyphenation. But Rider apparently copied the book block (typeset text) exactly, as if by camera or photocopy. I am frustrated one of my all time favorite companies would stoop so low.
DustyWhite
Oh, and by the way . . .
RichardG, I don't want to drag us off topic, but I also had to check my blue box Rider decks and I found the Waddingtons was a "Blushing Fool" and the other was not. I had heard the term but my research has always been at the other end of the 20th century. What does it all really mean? Can you post a link? I will look around though to see why this is important.
Thanks in advance.
RichardG, I don't want to drag us off topic, but I also had to check my blue box Rider decks and I found the Waddingtons was a "Blushing Fool" and the other was not. I had heard the term but my research has always been at the other end of the 20th century. What does it all really mean? Can you post a link? I will look around though to see why this is important.
Thanks in advance.
