Death Card Statue - What Deck?

[Fulgour]

It may be T

The seller is the daughter of the scientist-artist.
Her father's collection included the following:

Grimaud
Smith-Rider
1JJ Swiss
Church of Light Egyptian Tarot Cards
and
T : The New Tarot for the Aquarian Age

In a recent letter to me, she said the deck her father
originally used was bought by him in the year 1969~
and the sculpture is definitely from 1975. Brave days!

 

[Rainbow Aurora]

Casting with Moulds

Could the statue's glyphs be accidentally reversed?

 

[Fulgour]

good point

Since the statue was created by using the
Lost WAX method, and the student was a
teacher of science taking an art class...

Here's a view of the statue side-by-side reversed.
Maybe he intended the designs to go the other way?

 

[Fulgour]

some key matching elements

I think this may be it, based on the decks he had
and the magical mystery of S.I.U. art classes

 

[Amaris]

I was just wondering, earlier today, if you'd come up with an answer!

 

[Abrac]

This statue seems to have a combination of symbols.

The "6" within the six-pointed star is probably a "G" which would make this a familiar Masonic emblem. Sometimes you see the letter G written this way, for example on The Devil's left arm in the Oswald Wirth pack.

The other symbols are all apparently related to the sign of Aquarius. The number 11, both in Arabic and Roman (Aquarius being the 11th sign of the Zodiac), and the Aquarius glyph. The only one I don't recognize is the little square thing on the bottom row. Since it is part of a cluster of signs all relating to Aquarius, my guess is this too is probably associated with Aquarius somehow.

There are three areas on the statue that are black and form different geometrical shapes, and on the lower portion of the statue there are three rows of glyphs. Perhaps there is a correspondence? I am going to go way out on a limb here and suggest that maybe this figure is a representation of the Pythagorean and Neoplatonic triple soul. The Soul of Desire (bottom) represented by the Aquarius glyph, Roman numeral Xl, and the unidentified square thing. The Soul of Power (center) represented in the by the Arabic 11. And the Soul of Wisdom (top) represented by the Masonic Star.

It is a curious figure. It would be cool to know what it actually is. I don't really believe it represents Death though.

 

[Abrac]

After blowing up the picture in an image editor, the "6" or "G" really looks more like a water droplet than either one of the others. This would be more consistent with the Aquarius theme. It seems very possible that this figure was influenced by T: The New Tarot for the Aquarian Age. Does anyone have this deck? I looked around for scans but couldn't find any of the Death card. The square looking thing in middle on the bottom row still has me puzzled. It has a stem or something extending from its lower right-hand corner.

 

[Abrac]

As fate would have it, I am now the lucky owner of T: The New Tarot.

The statue has definitely been influenced by this deck; however, there isn't really a card that is an exact match.

Death's (Renewer) face is shrouded in a similar fashion as the statue and the arms are curled around in front, but that is pretty much where the similarity ends.

The "6" within the star is an Oroboros. The backs of this deck have two of them like just like this face-to-face to form a Lemniscate.

The square glyph on the bottom row still baffles me. Looking at the cards, there seems to be a couple of possibilites, but nothing that is a really good match.

The statue seems to be basically an homage to the Age of Aquarius.

The Tarot itself is one of the most beautiful and interesting I have seen. It is a set with three books and the cards are very good quality. Far out man!

 

[Abrac]

Riddle Solved

Actually, after looking more closely, The Renewer's arms aren't curled around in front. It sort of looks that way, but one is behind its back and is holding a scepter. The other is holding out a skull in front.

The main similarity between the card and the statue seems to be the shrouded face. The shroud and blindfold seems to play an improtant role in this deck. The little square glyph with the thing sticking out from it is actually a hood which covers the head of an eagle from The Changer card. The book says of this hood, "Upon The Changer's shoulder is perched a hooded eagle. This is the same eagle that winged its power above The Victorious One. Here it is hooded and, thereby, in the control of The Changer. It is not completely tamed, however, as stated by the three drops of blood on the shepherd's shoulder. It is hooded to protect the sheep until that time he purposely lets it loose to strike the blow of final initiation. This takes place only when one among them, as The Seeker, must confront Death -The Renewer. Until that time he bears its claws unflinchingly." It should be noted that The Seeker is also blindfolded.

The statue now makes perfect sense when you consider it is not Death in the traditional sense, but The Renewer, the one who initiates the world into the Age of Aquarius.

The more I learn about this deck, the more I am impressed. I am surprised it has not attracted more of a following than it has. To me, it is on a scale that is comparable with Crowley's tarot.

 

[Fulgour]

T: The New Tarot

The Tarot itself is one of the most beautiful and interesting I have seen. It is a set with three books and the cards are very good quality. Far out man!

The set I have has 3 decks and 1 book...

Abrac, if you'd like, I can give you the name
of the seller, she's become like a friend now.
We corresponded about her father and we're
fellow alumni of SIU~ back in the roarin' 70s.