My mystery deck ???

[ravenest]

Hi. I’ve got a mystery Tarot deck and have not been able to track down what it is. Perhaps you can help?

ORIGIN: Local market stall, bare deck with rubber band (no cover, case or book).

STYLE: Mid-sized, good condition but not complete  (maybe it can be identified and I can get a full one ). Very good clear printing and colours (including gold highlights). ‘Arabian / modern’ style.(people in ‘Arabian’ dress) Back of cards is black with scattered diverse astro/magic ‘sigils’ in red. Both sides have a gold border.

SMALL CARDS- 4 suits; swords and spades (ie. spade suit markings in corner and 5, 6 etc swords on cards), hearts and flowers (datura?). Sickles and diamonds. Sun/Moon discs and 3 stars in triangle (clubs?).
Other cards with no suit markings ( 5 owls, 6 owls -all identical. 2 owl masks and 2 burning braziers.)
3 ace type cards (radiating star with alternate hearts and stars)

COURT CARDS – 3 of each; man, woman and man on horse (knight)
1) Hearts and daturas - people are soft and sensual.
2) Diamonds and sickles – determined.
3) Clubs and Sun / Moon discs – serious.
4) Spades and swords – dark and threatening (each wields the sword).
(all these show only one person)
Another 3 cards that show 2 people, man and woman on each card touching a suit symbol.
A) Man (club) politely introduces himself to woman (heart) –interested. (2 starts side by side and below them).
B) Man (club) races off on horse with woman(diamond) – infatuated.( 3 stars in triangle around them). [There is the horse again.]
C) Man (heart) and woman (club) turning away from each other – sad and upset (no stars).

TRUMPS ?
An evil wizard and 4 owl masks. Tiger. Owl. Peacock. Coast, ocean and island scene. Boat on ocean. Taj (?) Mahal and reflection in lake. Classic death figure; robed, cowled and with sickle.

I am fascinated with interplay of suits on some cards and the court card dynamics suggested. I’ve worked a bit with it but what is missing? They are very beautiful and well made, I’d love to find out more and get a full set.

 

[souljourney]

Scan some of the cards so we could see them. That would help.

 

[HudsonGray]

Any copyright date or name in tiny print on the cards?

Card size? That would help too. Colored borders or white? What kind of framing, is it ornate or a simple line? Engraved, drawn, painted, color pencil, watercolor, any words on the cards, anything else you can give us?

 

[redflash]

This sounds interesting !

 

[ravenest]

Hope so.

Scan some of the cards so we could see them. That would help.

I'd love to be able to do that, but am I.T. stupid. Live without electricity and computer. (using friends now - maybe when he stops running around doing 100 things at once I might get game to ask him to do it for him). So if nothing emerges I guess thats the best way

 

[ravenest]

Any copyright date or name in tiny print on the cards?

Card size? That would help too. Colored borders or white? What kind of framing, is it ornate or a simple line? Engraved, drawn, painted, color pencil, watercolor, any words on the cards, anything else you can give us?

[and I thought my first post might be too detailed? ]

I havent noticed any copyrite, etc (but some cards are missing)

Card size (i'll get back to you) Borders/frame is gold (both sides). Drawn / painted watercolor. no words on cards. The reverse (diverse scattered red sigils on black background) is very curios. I am familiar with many of these shapes, from talismans, emblems, Goetica, Enochian,alchemical etc, but cant identify them, they have elements of familiarity. If the cards are from some specific tradition I guess these symbols could be a type of Arabic/alchemical/magical sigil.

 

[ravenest]

Scan some of the cards so we could see them. That would help.

Thanks souljourney, I am trying to arrange that. Where should I send them to?

 

[ravenest]

size

Any copyright date or name in tiny print on the cards?

Card size? That would help too.

12.3 x 7.7 cm

 

[Zhritza]

Yo, Subscribers

raven if yer not subscribed to the forum (I'm not either... yet) you won't be able to post images. someone wanna offer to post them, and raven can email them to you?

 

[Lillie]

I'll do it.

You can email me scans, and I'll put them up.

PM me if you are interested.