coredil
An other way to compare the "Crackled Back" Pamela decks
Some times ago I had the luck to get (not very expensive) a copy of a "Crackled Back" Pamela deck.
Thanks to insider informations from a nice ATF member it seems as if it is a Pamela D.
For those who do not know this name "Crackled Back", this is the usual pattern one can find on the cardback of the early Pamela decks. They are also called Pamela A, B, C or D according to Mr Jenssen research.
Picture of this "Crackled Back" can be seen on Holly Voleys Site:
http://home.comcast.net/~vilex/images/LargeImages/eBayBackLge.JPG
Trying to compare the several available sources I noticed one thing that seems not to be mentioned:
On several cards one can find some illustrations that do not have any line drawings: these are mostly flowers or stains on a piece of clothes.
These flowers or stains are not part of the black and white original line drawings and are probably drawn and added by the printers during the coloring process.
The most evident examples of these illustrations are
The red-orange stars/flowers on the Fool
5 of wands: the blue stains on the white tunic of the man in the front
6 of cups: Stains on the neckerchief of the girl
3 of pentacles: the stains or flowers on the coat of the person on the right
5 of pentacles: the stains on the coat of the woman
9 of pentacles: the flowers on the coat
Also the white rays surrounding the hand of the Ace of pentacles
One interesting thing with these particular illustrations is that, depending on the printing or edition, they are different, some times very very different.
To illustrate this I attach a picture with 4 scans of the 9 of pentacles.
Unfortunately I do not have access to a lot of "Crackled Back" decks
So there are scans of two "Crackled Back" decks and scans of two more common RWS.
The first one is from the scan of a Pamela A that one can find on the Sacred-Texts site (from Holly Voley collection)
The three others are from my collection:
The crackled Back deck I recently got, the 1993 edition of the Original Rider Waite and I choosed one of the Blue Box RWS (without copyright) from the early seventies.
At first quick sight it seems as if the Pamela A and the Blue Box would match together, but they dont. All 4 versions are very different.
This leads me to my request
I thought it could be interesting to compare these particular cards of several "Crakled Back" Pamela decks in order to see how they match together from this point of view.
I guess it could possibly help to a better identification of the decks.
It would be very nice if some collectors who are lucky to have one or more of these "Crackled Back" decks could post scans of the 9 of pentacles.
Sure I am aware that such a deck does not belong to the average collection but there are many great collectors here on ATF
I will later post scans from all above mentioned other cards. (edit: done)
The most easier to see are after the 9 of pentacles is the Fool.
It would be also really great If you also could post scans of the other mentioned cards.
Best regards
PS (edited) I have attached a PDF file because it allows a much better view and can be better zoomed. If it is difficult for some to see, I can also upload a JPG.
Some times ago I had the luck to get (not very expensive) a copy of a "Crackled Back" Pamela deck.
Thanks to insider informations from a nice ATF member it seems as if it is a Pamela D.
For those who do not know this name "Crackled Back", this is the usual pattern one can find on the cardback of the early Pamela decks. They are also called Pamela A, B, C or D according to Mr Jenssen research.
Picture of this "Crackled Back" can be seen on Holly Voleys Site:
http://home.comcast.net/~vilex/images/LargeImages/eBayBackLge.JPG
Trying to compare the several available sources I noticed one thing that seems not to be mentioned:
On several cards one can find some illustrations that do not have any line drawings: these are mostly flowers or stains on a piece of clothes.
These flowers or stains are not part of the black and white original line drawings and are probably drawn and added by the printers during the coloring process.
The most evident examples of these illustrations are
The red-orange stars/flowers on the Fool
5 of wands: the blue stains on the white tunic of the man in the front
6 of cups: Stains on the neckerchief of the girl
3 of pentacles: the stains or flowers on the coat of the person on the right
5 of pentacles: the stains on the coat of the woman
9 of pentacles: the flowers on the coat
Also the white rays surrounding the hand of the Ace of pentacles
One interesting thing with these particular illustrations is that, depending on the printing or edition, they are different, some times very very different.
To illustrate this I attach a picture with 4 scans of the 9 of pentacles.
Unfortunately I do not have access to a lot of "Crackled Back" decks
So there are scans of two "Crackled Back" decks and scans of two more common RWS.
The first one is from the scan of a Pamela A that one can find on the Sacred-Texts site (from Holly Voley collection)
The three others are from my collection:
The crackled Back deck I recently got, the 1993 edition of the Original Rider Waite and I choosed one of the Blue Box RWS (without copyright) from the early seventies.
At first quick sight it seems as if the Pamela A and the Blue Box would match together, but they dont. All 4 versions are very different.
This leads me to my request
I thought it could be interesting to compare these particular cards of several "Crakled Back" Pamela decks in order to see how they match together from this point of view.
I guess it could possibly help to a better identification of the decks.
It would be very nice if some collectors who are lucky to have one or more of these "Crackled Back" decks could post scans of the 9 of pentacles.
Sure I am aware that such a deck does not belong to the average collection but there are many great collectors here on ATF
I will later post scans from all above mentioned other cards. (edit: done)
The most easier to see are after the 9 of pentacles is the Fool.
It would be also really great If you also could post scans of the other mentioned cards.
Best regards
PS (edited) I have attached a PDF file because it allows a much better view and can be better zoomed. If it is difficult for some to see, I can also upload a JPG.