Hey everyone, I’m on the hunt for old card decks (or even odd cards that have lost their pack)… standard playing cards, tarot (occult or French game version), Lenormand cards, Das Spiel der Hoffnung (Game of Hope), Tarock, Schafkopf, Hanafuda… any cards that follow the logic of numbered + picture cards / fortune telling cards (not after modern alt card games e.g. Exploding Kittens, Cards Against Humanity, Cosmonauts etc., sorry).
Does anyone have anything kicking around that they would be happy to donate? If so, I can cover your postage costs and send you a thank you surprise in return.
@nels
Thanks, that’s a good idea. I have a bit of a mad restriction that makes it harder though – I’m trying to follow an old superstition about tarot cards, which is that you can’t buy a deck, only steal or receive one as a gift. I’d feel a bit guilty stealing from these people on second hand websites, but they normally want money for their cards… maybe it’s worth a cheeky ask though.
@wzackw Sorry I just saw your message now. I’m trying to make a completely mixed deck of cards that can be used in any of the games/divination practices that the original cards came from. E.g. a deck mixed between standard playing cards, tarot and tarock can be used to play poker, do a tarot reading and play tarock, whichever the player decides. The cards are a micro rebellion against monocultures (biological and social) and efficiency. Will let you know how the project develops
@LizzieH my hunt was at first for a project that stamped existing decks to create a new game and, later, as a cheap and fun way to get boxes for new cards.
That sounds interesting! How would you play poker with tarot cards though?
I am currently working on some original cards for readings - like Tarot in terms of illustrated characters that represent things, but all original characters from my work. I just started, though.
@wzackw thanks! To try to answer your question… many traditional games, including card games, developed in a similar way to languages – they evolve over time and use, are influenced by people coming into contact with others/other cultures, have variants in different countries etc. Tarot cards are a variation of playing cards (closer to tarock than the standard 52 card deck), and the minor arcana have the same format as standard cards (1-10 number cards plus picture cards), except there is a Knight in Tarot as well as a Jack, Queen and King. In old Portuguese playing cards they even have the same suits as tarot: coins, wands, swords and cups. So basically you could play Poker with Tarot cards if you just remove the major arcana and the knights…
Ah, that makes sense! I thought you meant playing cards combined with tarot cards somehow. And I had never heard of Tarock. Is that a game using tarot cards? (From what I can see online.)
I’ve not actually ever played Tarock, but some friends in France tried to teach me more or less the same game, called (confusingly!) tarot. It uses its own cards that are similar to both playing cards and divination tarot cards, but the game itself is a bit like rummy. French Tarot - Wikipedia
Sorry for replying months late, but thanks! Tarock sounds like Tarot in terms of the cards (4 suits 1-10, royalty, and then major arcana like Fool, World, etc.), but without all the symbolism of Tarot in terms of the designs.
I’d love to hear more about your cards and project! Can we connect on another social media or maybe email? I’m studying cards in school in Japan and doing divination with original cards now.
Hey Zack,
Oh no I’m so sorry, I loved getting your email and had flagged it to reply when I had time to write a proper, full response and then got so snowed under with work I totally forgot I had never replied! (I’ve got a deadline for a research project and it’s been taking up my every waking minute this last month!) The Yokai cards sound really interesting, I’d love to hear more. I’ll send you an email next week after my hand-in and maybe we can organise a video call or something?
