Dating this RWS

Chrystella

Hello. I've spent a few hours reading here reading about the differences among RWS decks in terms of when they were published. I've been trying to date mine, but I'm still not sure. I'm hoping you knowledgeable folks can help.

I've attached an image for convenience. I guess the notable things are that the box says NYC 10016, but no full address; it has the copyright on the cards; the back is that black and blue cross one. I've had this deck since the mid-90s. The little blue book is long gone. As you can see by the box, this deck has been around the block a few times.

Thank you.
 

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gregory

http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=85278 MIGHT help a BIT....

Yours is exactly like my first one - which does still have the LWB, and that (not the box) shows the 468 Park Avenue South address. I bought it in the mid-1970s,and they were at that address from about 1970-1977.

The same EXCEPT in two very significant particulars. My cards have no copyright on them (that first appeared in about 1975) - AND - yours shows an ISBN. Mine does not. So yours is newer than mine ! But the ISBN itself tells one NOTHING (except that the deck is in English !) Just the fact that it HAS one puts it later than the one I bought in the 1970s !

(It would never have had a little BLUE book, BTW, only a little WHITE one !)

Are the cards glossy (as in sort of plasticised ?) That started in 1985.

How are we doing here ??? :)
 

Abrac

With a NYC address and copyrights on the cards it originated approximately between 1982-1988. Without the booklet it's impossible to narrow it down any more. Your box definitely has some mileage. :laugh:
 

gregory

Can be earlier than that, abrac - copyright started to appear on the cards around 1975, and they were in NYC then.
 

Abrac

Hi gregory,

See rwcarter's post here.

I've observed the same thing. The copyrights start showing up with the 38 East 32nd address which is after 1980. Some of the first printings with that address have no copyrights.

With all due respect to Mary, I believe she got this one wrong.
 

gregory

OK - fair enough.

Geez - and I am insane. MINE has no copyrights so that puts this one DEFINITELY post 1977 anyway... :|...
 

Amanda

I think your deck is probably older than mine.
I can't tell you for certain what the top of my box looks like because it has finally fallen off and is laying at the bottom of my tarot cabinet somewhere.
However, my deck looks exactly like yours except for the following:

--It has the trademark symbol following the title in each place on the box.
--It has the Fool U.S. Games Logo on one of those sides.
--On the back of the box directly below the title (THE RIDER TAROT DECK), mine also says: "Known also as the Waite Tarot and The Rider-Waite Tarot"
--Arthur Edward Waite's name is smaller on the back of my box than it is yours.
--Mine says "Printed in Switzerland Expressly for U.S. GAMES SYSTEMS, INC. Stamford, CT 06902 USA with the website address.

Actually, here is a picture of the back of my box in this thread: http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=164199&page=2

Mine is a 54th printing according to my LWB, and I'm pretty sure I bought it in the year 2000. I don't think I could have bought it any later than that. I am pretty sure that I was 14 years old at the time, so I'm really thinking it was the year 2000.

In any case, I would say yours has to be older than mine, since I've got the updated logos and trademarks on the box.
 

gregory

You also have the Stamford address which makes it later :)
 

Amanda

You also have the Stamford address which makes it later :)

Yes, perhaps it will last me a long while, especially with its wonderful card stock -- I practically grew up with this deck. :D

But the printing number should help cap it off for her at least... to find the right one that is earlier than that. It looks like her deck has the old lettering too.
 

gregory

Yes, perhaps it will last me a long while, especially with its wonderful card stock -- I practically grew up with this deck. :D

But the printing number should help cap it off for her at least... to find the right one that is earlier than that. It looks like her deck has the old lettering too.
Yup. LOVE that. She's still not said if it's plasticised...