Similar decks to the Playing Card Oracle?

strings of life

Evie said:
I've recently been looking for playing card books, they seem to be few and those that are around are expensive. Thanks for the information cardlady22.

Edited to add... you're right, they are either OOP or expensive.
AT member tarotmama has a 6-week cartomancy reading e-class (I'm taking it now). It was $30 with course materials. So far, so good, although I'm only spending time doing the coursework on weekends, this upcoming one being the first. She will be offering more at a later date. I'll send you a PM :).

--

Another stunning deck to add to the list is the Goethe, one of LoS's Playing Cards decks. Images here. It seems to be cheap and easily obtainable in the UK. I'm only using plain Bicycle cards now, but can't wait to try these out. They are just beautiful.
 

Le Fanu

Evie said:
I've recently been looking for playing card books, they seem to be few and those that are around are expensive. Thanks for the information cardlady22.

Edited to add... you're right, they are either OOP or expensive.
I've always found this one to be excellent. All types of playing card reading; Romany, Lenormand, Poker Pack, Pip Numerology etc.
 

Moonbow

Thanks for the recommendation Le Fanu. I have JD's Tarot book and quite like it, and this one very reasonable. :)
 

cardlady22

I've recently picked up a used copy of Nerys Dee's Fortune Telling by Playing Cards: A New Guide to the Ancient Art of Cartomancy
ISBN: 0850302668
1990, Sterling Publishing Co

originally published by Aquarian Press, 1982

Spreads-
Mystical Cross (13 cards)
Horseshoe of Fate (7 cards)
Pyramid (10 cards)
Romany Way (21 cards)
Magic Square (9 cards)
Celestial Circle (13 cards)

Suits- gives sections for Traditional, Practical, Psychological & Psychic aspects
:diamond: air of spring
:club: heat of summer
:heart: refreshing autumn (water)
:spade: bleak midwinter (earth)

Each card delineation has sections for Numerical, Practical, Psychological, Psychic, Influential & Reversed significance.
 

Moonbow

I have that book too cardlady, and I quite like it.

I used the Magic Square yesterday, which I like. I need to spend a bit more time with the book and try out a few others.
 

Le Fanu

cardlady22 said:
I've recently picked up a used copy of Nerys Dee's Fortune Telling by Playing Cards: A New Guide to the Ancient Art of Cartomancy
ISBN: 0850302668
1990, Sterling Publishing Co

originally published by Aquarian Press, 1982

Spreads-
Mystical Cross (13 cards)
Horseshoe of Fate (7 cards)
Pyramid (10 cards)
Romany Way (21 cards)
Magic Square (9 cards)
Celestial Circle (13 cards)

Suits- gives sections for Traditional, Practical, Psychological & Psychic aspects
:diamond: air of spring
:club: heat of summer
:heart: refreshing autumn (water)
:spade: bleak midwinter (earth)

Each card delineation has sections for Numerical, Practical, Psychological, Psychic, Influential & Reversed significance.
I wonder if this was the book I had and mislaid and I have been looking unsuccessfully for ever since. I just know it was called "Fortune Telling by (or with?) Playing Cards".

But honestly, I find the Jonathan Dee one is quite enough for me... But Nerys, is she his wife? There was another big bumper book I wanted opinions on but I cannot seem to find it on amazon now. Had a drawing of a woman with crazy hair and cards coming out of her head...
 

Lee

Le Fanu said:
I've always found this one to be excellent. All types of playing card reading; Romany, Lenormand, Poker Pack, Pip Numerology etc.
LOL, I've finally found something I disagree with Le Fanu about. This was the review I wrote for Amazon US:
In this book (published in 2004), the author relies heavily for his card interpretations on Richard Webster's "Playing Card Divination for Beginners" (published in 2002), but he doesn't do Webster the courtesy of acknowledging him. It seems especially rude given that some of Dee's sentences are almost identical to Webster's.

For example, for the Ace of Clubs:
WEBSTER: "If this card is one of the first three cards dealt in the spread, it is a sign that the client has been blessed with talents that are out of the ordinary. These talents can take him or her a long way."

DEE: "If the Ace of Clubs is found among the first three cards in a spread, it is a sign of extraordinary talent. The questioner is in possession of unique gifts that can take him a long way if he channels them in a productive fashion."

The book is padded out with the Order of the Golden Dawn's astrological correlations for the Tarot's Minor Arcana, transferred here to playing cards. Dee makes a valiant attempt to reconcile the GD's system with Webster's interpretations, but it's a wasted effort in my opinion, since the two systems have nothing to do with each other.

The text for each card includes a rhyming couplet from the 19th century which suggests a meaning for the card. The couplets were created to be used as a parlour game (for example: Ace of Clubs: "He that doth draw the Ace of Clubs/From his wife gets a thousand snubs/But if maids do it obtain/It means that they shall rule and reign"). These couplets are mildly amusing, and I suppose have historical value, but are of no value to someone wanting to learn how to read the cards.

The only reason I can see for anyone wanting this book would be if they were interested in Lenormand decks and Lenormand's 36-card "Master Method" layout, which is gone into extensively.

Frankly, I get the feeling that the impetus for this book was to throw together a playing card book and get it on the market as quickly as possible. If you'd like to read a book written by an author who has spent a great deal of the time with the cards and genuinely has something to say about them, then I recommend "Personal Prophecy" by Deborah Leigh and Elizabeth Rose, or "The Playing Card Oracles" by Ana Cortez. Other good books include the Webster book mentioned above, and Jane Lyle's "The Fortune Teller's Deck."
 

autumn star

I am also looking for some books on reading with playing cards so thanks for the suggestions :)

I know that there is a cartomancy study group over in the Oracle Study section. I haven't explored it further but it could be helpful.

Has there ever been a playing card reading exchange to get more practice? I still have heaps to learn on it first before I start reading but just thought I'd ask.

Another question - I have the Ana Cortez book that goes with her deck - how is it different in it's methods to traditional interpretations of the cards?
 

Rhinemaiden

Bernice said:
I forgot about transformation cards! They arn't a divination system, but can used as such.


Have you seen this deck:
Key to the Kingdom. Transformation playing cards by Tony Meeuwissen.

This set arrived in my house yesterday... it is STUNNING! The cards are absolutely beautiful...like walking through an art gallery. I love the book with the rhymes that accompany each card. A real treasure for eons to come. Many thanks for the recommendation! :)