Real world story and unexpected reading...
The charming 48 card Neoclassical and Romantica decks are a week old and I felt drawn most to the Romantica, which follows a pattern identified as the "Cadiz" pattern set in 1847. The pattern from Antonia Chavarria card maker was around from 1841 to 1864.
The coloring is similar to the majors of the Giorgio Trevisan Romantici, with beautiful blue-greens and supposedly, a small tradition of some of the fours of historical Spanish decks is the beautiful insets--typically romantic. This deck has additional costume and mythical figures on the aces through fours and courts (10, 11, 12), which is a pleasure. I've been studying them for art charm. They also have female pages, which is a novelty for Spanish cards.
After an appointment this morning, I went to a used bookstore and browsed the different sections. In the antiques section, a handpainted book had such lovely illustrations and the author, Stefan Salter, wrote in such a familiar and kind voice of his casual collecting in Europe from the 1930s through 1970. The handpainting by Hilda Simon was very very nice. The book fell open on 'tarot cards' and while the pattern looked more like playing cards, the story was how the author missed the bus, was stranded for three hours in a very hot small town and somehow happened in an antique shop. His last purchase was 'tarot cards' and five of the cards chosen for illustration was briefly described in passing. He had just enough time to grab his final purchase and literally run after the returning bus, shouting and catching attention before it made it's way back to the town where his hotel was located.
The story was captivating; the cards were also enchanting, and I bought the book and read it in a nearby cafe. I did a reading with the cards displayed, using the tarotlike meanings from the Revelations Tarot book, which is similar to the Arthur E. Waite style of gathered meanings in Pictorial Key:
3 of Swords: Miscommunication, misunderstanding
The author, not speaking Spanish and noting troubles with the bus in the hot weather, takes a tour. However his caution at eating at local places in hot weather had him search out a deli with fresh food; he was served and ate his sandwich, strolling back to the bus stop; he missed the bus and saw it's tailpipe of smoke as he stood at the fountain. Meantime, it's getting quite warm.
Ace of Swords -Mental prowess, intelligence
Making the most of his situation, he looks around the square of the fountain and finds its siesta time for many shops or places; however he finds the one or two people who are moving about will come to the fountain for water or refreshment. He manages to talk to someone who knows French and is pointed to an area that might have an open antique store.
Four of Swords - Rest and recuperation
He finds a shop where the kind owner allows him to enter in the air conditioned space...the author takes a leisurely stroll and finds things to delight him.
7 of Batons - The card of the warrior spirit...
The author finds a goblet that has the three fates and a German declaration of "Spin on for a long time" and it's unusual attractive declaration is his first purchase. While he looks around, he decides he is almost done, then finds the small deck of cards catching his eye. Great condition, handpainted, unusual...he asks, no information is forthcoming, and pays the equivalent of $5, which is reasonable for 1958.
King of Batons - Charisma, charm, witty and intelligent
The author literally has to run for the bus for about a block and shout to catch the driver's attention, but he makes it. And he writes about the trip and the finds and the 'tarot cards' afterwards, describing it's old-fashioned suits and successful finds in a chapter of his book in Mallorca.
The artist, Hilda Simon, did such a good job that I was able to identify the pattern in the Fournir Museum catalog by the King of Wands. The card has a 12 on the upper left hand corner, broken lines around the border, four red balls in the green club/baton, a green robe with red-pink coat, yellow cuffs and white lined borders and yellow crown. The head has longish hair down the neck and a mustache.
In the Fournir catalog, page 82-83, it is most similar as far as I know to the entry 600, related to the deck of 40 cards made by the Rodolfo de Olea, Cadiz, with designs of the region (Cadiz), year 1905...it is very similar to the Leon pattern here:
http://www.wopc.co.uk/belgium/hidalgo.html
Other Cadiz patterns:
http://www.wopc.co.uk/spain/cadiz.html
I'll post scans or a link...I adore card or tarotlike allegories coming to life unexpectedly! Close enough for me to feel a charming affection and affinity to these things...it may mean nothing more than a pleasant afternoon discovery, but it's charm is still fun to share, nonetheless. Hope you fans of such things had some fun reading this..
Regards,
Cerulean
