coredil
In 1933 Joseph Maxwell wrote the book: "Le Tarot - Le symbole, les arcanes, la divination".
There is an english translation of this book which is quite easy to find.
It has been already mentioned on ATF that the english translation differs a lot from the original.
I was intrigued and I could get an original copy from 1933 in french:
Paris, Librairie Felix Alcan
108, Boulevard Saint Germain, 108
1933
On the first page of the book you can find an interesting remark that has been changed in the english translation.
Talking about several edtion of the TdM, Maxwell writes:
"La dernière édition donnée par la maison Grimaud n'est pas correcte ... la deuxième lame est "La Papesse" dans l'autre (he means the Grimaud edition), elle devient "Junon" ... une autre lame, la cinquième, "Le Pape" devient dans l'édition courante (he means the Grimaud edition), Jupiter ..."
"The last edition from the printhouse Grimaud is not correct ... the second card is "La Papesse" in the other (the Grimaud edition) it becomes "Junon" ... another card, the fifth, "Le Pape" becomes in the usual edition (he still means the Grimaud edition), Jupiter ..."
The english version of the book mention:
"In certain editions, confusion arises ... to substitute Juno for the High Priestess is quite erroneous"
The translator ommit to name Grimaud and speaks only from "certain editions"
* * *
As a resume:
Maxwell writes in 1933 that the last TdM Grimaud edition has Juno and Jupiter instead of La Papesse and Le Pape.
Reading this remark from Maxwell, a lot of questions come to my mind.
1. Not sure what he means with "the last Grimaud TdM edition"
Was he not aware of a Marteau edition, or was Marteaus deck not known at this time?
2. What is the deck he is speaking of?
Is it the Grimaud reproduction of the Arnoult deck?
(One went shortly on E-Bay for 329 EUROS? (e-bay Item Nr. 6046976983)
(Some scans are also to see on Trionfi: http://trionfi.com/m/d0yyyy.php?decknr=5379)
3. Looking at Arnoult scans from Trionfi, to me these are exactly the same drawings as Marteaus deck.
Even the Titles are exactly the same.
Only the color changed and Junon & Jupiter.
It also seems as if there is exactly the same B . P . GRIMAUD PARIS copyright
on the cards at exactly the same place-scheme as on the pictures of the 1947 edition of Marteaus book.
On this site
http://www.camoin.com/en/restoration/restoration_jodo.asp
Jodorowsky mention:
"Until now, the deck which came closest to this ideal was the Tarot of Paul Marteau. However, feature-wise, it is the exact copy of the Tarot of Besançon issued in the late 19th century, which in turn reproduced another Tarot of Besançon issued by Lequart and signed "Arnoult 1748", as computer superimposition shows."
4. Does someone knows who made the reproduction of the Arnoult deck?
5. Is this Arnoult reproduction really from 1889 or 1890 or is it possible that it was made later by Marteau?
(Sorry if this idea sounds crazy )
I hope this is not too confused or too confusing.
Best regards
There is an english translation of this book which is quite easy to find.
It has been already mentioned on ATF that the english translation differs a lot from the original.
I was intrigued and I could get an original copy from 1933 in french:
Paris, Librairie Felix Alcan
108, Boulevard Saint Germain, 108
1933
On the first page of the book you can find an interesting remark that has been changed in the english translation.
Talking about several edtion of the TdM, Maxwell writes:
"La dernière édition donnée par la maison Grimaud n'est pas correcte ... la deuxième lame est "La Papesse" dans l'autre (he means the Grimaud edition), elle devient "Junon" ... une autre lame, la cinquième, "Le Pape" devient dans l'édition courante (he means the Grimaud edition), Jupiter ..."
"The last edition from the printhouse Grimaud is not correct ... the second card is "La Papesse" in the other (the Grimaud edition) it becomes "Junon" ... another card, the fifth, "Le Pape" becomes in the usual edition (he still means the Grimaud edition), Jupiter ..."
The english version of the book mention:
"In certain editions, confusion arises ... to substitute Juno for the High Priestess is quite erroneous"
The translator ommit to name Grimaud and speaks only from "certain editions"
* * *
As a resume:
Maxwell writes in 1933 that the last TdM Grimaud edition has Juno and Jupiter instead of La Papesse and Le Pape.
Reading this remark from Maxwell, a lot of questions come to my mind.
1. Not sure what he means with "the last Grimaud TdM edition"
Was he not aware of a Marteau edition, or was Marteaus deck not known at this time?
2. What is the deck he is speaking of?
Is it the Grimaud reproduction of the Arnoult deck?
(One went shortly on E-Bay for 329 EUROS? (e-bay Item Nr. 6046976983)
(Some scans are also to see on Trionfi: http://trionfi.com/m/d0yyyy.php?decknr=5379)
3. Looking at Arnoult scans from Trionfi, to me these are exactly the same drawings as Marteaus deck.
Even the Titles are exactly the same.
Only the color changed and Junon & Jupiter.
It also seems as if there is exactly the same B . P . GRIMAUD PARIS copyright
on the cards at exactly the same place-scheme as on the pictures of the 1947 edition of Marteaus book.
On this site
http://www.camoin.com/en/restoration/restoration_jodo.asp
Jodorowsky mention:
"Until now, the deck which came closest to this ideal was the Tarot of Paul Marteau. However, feature-wise, it is the exact copy of the Tarot of Besançon issued in the late 19th century, which in turn reproduced another Tarot of Besançon issued by Lequart and signed "Arnoult 1748", as computer superimposition shows."
4. Does someone knows who made the reproduction of the Arnoult deck?
5. Is this Arnoult reproduction really from 1889 or 1890 or is it possible that it was made later by Marteau?
(Sorry if this idea sounds crazy )
I hope this is not too confused or too confusing.
Best regards