The Astral Tarot

[rainkins]

Thanks to a poorly listed eBay auction, I got a great deal on a vintage copy of the Astral Tarot published by by Mont-Saint-Johns, which arrived today, complete with original box and instruction book. Here are some scans I found of the majors. This is a black-and-white deck printed in 1969; according to a couple of websites there were supposedly only 1,000 copies printed, though I have no idea if that's accurate.

Does anyone else have this deck? I don't know how rare it actually is and I'm not sure yet if I'll keep it, but it seemed like too good a deal to pass up. The instruction book is certainly interesting; it refers to the courts as "Royal Cards" and the majors as -- get this -- "Court Cards"! Now there's something I've never seen before.

 

[photokat]

It was a limited edition of 1000 decks, published in 1969. Fun deck!

There is a colored version of it called the "9th Dimension Tarot".

 

[rainkins]

There is a colored version of it called the "9th Dimension Tarot".

How interesting. I just found some scans of the 9th Dimension version. I actually like the black-and-white cards better; they seem more mysterious somehow. Thanks for the info!

 

[Glitterbird]

Cool find!

 

[Chronata]

I used to think this one was pretty rare, but it appears in all sorts of places and pretty often comes up for sale (though usually it's the colored version I see.)

I think this is one of the most godsawful ugliest decks I own.

But I do still own it...so I guess that says something!

The book is actually pretty amusing. I like that this one reminds me of the doodle game I used to play as a kid. And it's the only deck I own that was published the year I was born.

I have used it a couple of times, but it reads better in tandem with other decks (like the Sakki Sakki for instance). Sometimes I have tried to sell it, but no one is ever interested in it, so it goes right back on the shelf.

 

[Maskelyne]

Just found one of these at Half Price Books in Everett WA. Didn't think to ask the checkout clerk, who said she owned this deck, whether she was on Aeclectic, so if that was you, this is me. The deck came packed in the cardboard well of a slightly squashed original box, along with a 20-page 9x6" booklet, "The Secret of the Tarot - an instructional booklet for ASTRAL TAROT(tm) by Mont-Saint-Johns". The uncredited artist is alleged on TCF to be one Katherine Yurica. A garishly colored version of the deck later appeared as the 9TH Dimension Tarot by Calmera Leosis, in a package that billed itself "a psychogenic game".

I haven't yet tried to read with this deck, but I'm enjoying the artwork. I also like that it's been printed as line art, not screened. I've appended some scans. The card images have been digitally deschmutzed, save for The Moon, which shows the used and yellowed condition of the deck on my desk.

Anyone else seen one lately? What did you think?