About this item
- The figures in this somewhat gothic, self-titled Tarot deck, the Londa Tarot, are all pale and elf-like. The minor and major
- arcana cards look basically the same, though the deck uses the typical Rider-Waite card meanings.
Specifications
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Name
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Londa Tarot
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Creators
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Londa Marks
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Publisher
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US Games 1993
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Deck Type
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Tarot Deck
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Cards
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78
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Major Arcana
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22
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Minor Arcana
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56
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Deck Tradition
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Rider-Waite-Smith
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Minor Arcana Style
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Unique Scenes With Suit Symbols
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Suits
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Cups, Swords, Wands, Pentacles
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Court Cards
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Page, Knight, Queen, King
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The Fool
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is 0
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Strength
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is 11
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Justice
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is 8
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Card Size
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2.75 x 4.75 in. = 6.99cm x 12.06cm
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Card Language
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English
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Card Back
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Unknown
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Reviews
and I have had it for a long time now, but it is not
one of my favorite decks to use for readings. The
people portrayed in the art are elfin and very, very thin
-- the style is pretty gothic, although initially I
remember seeing it as sort of a heavy-metal-band aesthetic.
This is a US Games-published deck and comes with a small booklet of divinatory
and reversed meanings, which, unlike many of US
Games' booklets, is written by the artist
herself. There are 79 cards; the extra card features a performer
type of character and the words "Who Are You Really?"
It is meant to function as a sort of wild card, but
can be removed from the deck.
Artistically, the deck is appealing in that the images and
situations have an otherworldly quality, and I sometimes get
a transported or elevated feeling through using
these cards, as though the answers they give are
unfettered, rising above what is mundane and concrete. The
androgyny of the people in the images adds to this effect
for me. Londa's portrayals of the tarot characters
sometimes show a succinct and unique insight; I particularly
resonate with the alien face of the Hermit and the Eight of
Cups "stage fright". At other times, she seems to be
going out of her way to put a new, edgy spin on the
cards' traditional meanings, with results that do look
"different"" but not with any real sensibility (for example,
the upright Hanged Man).
I find this deck especially
useful for queries involving money and other superficial
issues, such as connections with coworkers and other
people with whom we interact on a small-talk level. In
my experience it is not helpful for gaining insight
about deep relationships, important life issues, or your
own internal reality. I do not recommend the deck for
beginnining readers, as the art is mainly in a portraiture
style, rather than displaying symbolic situations or
activities. For collectors, this is a nice deck to own if you
like gothic and/or dark fantasy art.
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