Dating an IJJ Swiss?

I was at my sis's doing scans for the Tarot deck I've just finished designing...and she gave me an IJJ Swiss that she picked up for me in an antique store...Looks "vintage" but not REALLY old...it has the booklet, which sez copyright 1969 but that could still come in the new ones for all I know..are there any tips y'all have for helping me date this deck?

It's fun to have it...I'm a TdM lover, and I've never had one of these....

Thanks.

What's the box like; what are the backs like; what language are the titles in...

For starters

Wah. I've just determined that the Judgement card is missing.

Box is Red, with two thumb cutouts on the sides, lid lifts completely off...bottom is gold.

On end, TAROT CARDS 1JJ AG MULLER + CIE HEUHAUSEN AM RHEINFALL SWITZERLAND

On the other end, DISTRIBUTED EXCLUSIVELY BY U.S. GAMES SYSTEMS, INC. NEW YORK, N.Y. Over top of this, there is a rubber stamp, MADE IN SWITZERLAND.

the card backs are beige tartan plaid (isn't that what we call it?...) beige backgrounds (very yellowed-looking) with black and white stripes going over that diagonally.

There are two blank white cards.

Booklet folds out like an accordian. It sez,

TAROT CARDS
INSTRUCTIONS
TAROCK NO. 1 JJ
SWISS MADE CARDS

U. S. GAMES SYSTEMS INC
120 WALL STREET
NEW YORK N.T. 10005

Copyright 1969 by U.S. Games Systems Inc.

and there's a little printed in USA stamp in the corner....

Titles on the cards themselves are all French.

That is all I have to go on....

OK - sounds like a 1970, just like my very first deck EVER !

Rodney - would you concur here ?

Gosh; I was really looking forward to using it, too....but then realized the card is missing, dangitalltosmithereens.

I think you might have the first US Games edition. That address is the first known for them. Check this post by Debra. It has pictures of the '69 version. Apparently the writing on The Emperor's shield is different from later versions. I'm not exactly sure when it changed, but if yours just says "Fabrique des Cartes," coupled with the earlier booklet, I'd say chances are good it's the first one. That really sucks about the missing card though.

I read somewhere that while the booklet was COPYRIGHTED 1969, it all actually came OUT in 1970. I THOUGHT it was in Kaplan, which I don't have with me - but if it was - lord knows he should know ! That's why I said 1970. I absolutely agree it's a first edition - that's what I have too.

There's a reference to that date here:

http://thetarotsense.wordpress.com/tag/stuart-r-kaplan/

He set up USG in 1968 after he saw the 1JJ at a toy fair; he bought a load and sold them in the US - he wrote the booklet, and sold the decks he'd bought with it; and then he started having his own lot printed by Muller, in Switzerland. I think at that point they started to come out in that kit, with "Tarot for Fun and Fortune-telling".

Abrac said:

I think you might have the first US Games edition. That address is the first known for them. Check this post by Debra. It has pictures of the '69 version. Apparently the writing on The Emperor's shield is different from later versions. I'm not exactly sure when it changed, but if yours just says "Fabrique des Cartes," coupled with the earlier booklet, I'd say chances are good it's the first one. That really sucks about the missing card though.

Click to expand...

Yeah, mine sez "Fabrique de Cartes"....further, in the box, many of the cards are still in order, like someone's gone thru them a few times, but never shuffled them. They are absolutely pristine, tho the box shows some wear....ruffed up on the corners and such. The gold on the bottom is sort of buffed up.

Ah, no...I looked at the images....it's the one on the right...Fabrique de Cartes L. Muller, etc...

Hmmm...but my ace and two of coins agree with the images on the LEFT...they have no copyright notice, and no refrence number in the lower RH corner....

Hmmm

Maybe IN BETWEEN 70 and 74????

Guess I'll just have to use one of the blank cards as judgement...

They are too cool not to use!

It might be something in between, seems logical.

I just checked my deck and the Ace and II Coins have the reference number in the corner, but no copyright. The IIII card has the Fabrique de Cartes ?. Muller de Cie. The cards are also in French.

My little booklet has the same as above, but the address is 468 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016.

Copyright date is 1970 by S.R. Kaplan.

Mine was cool - it came with absolutely PRISTINE minors and used majors. I found in the 1JJ Swiss book that he did mentioned that to do readings, one needed to take out the majors and use them only. So, who ever had this deck first, did just that.