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2009 is the 100th year anniversary of the first publication of the famous esoteric tarot deck conceived of by
Arthur Edward Waite and illustrated by the artist Pamela Colman Smith. The deck was ready for the Christmas
sales in 1909 and has ever since been the most popular deck of its kind, with
more copies sold than all other
esoteric tarot decks together during the 20th century.
To mark this anniversary various initiatives have been taken during the year: articles were written, tarot group
meetings brought the Waite-Smith tarot high on the agenda, a mail art project was initiated.... US Games Systems
Inc. (USGS), who since the 1970's earned a fortune on producing and selling the Waite-Smith tarot under the name
`Rider Waite', has joined the acclaim by issuing a book/deck set named: "Pamela Colman Smith Commemorative Set".
Included in the set is a reprint called `The Smith-Waite Centennial Edition Deck'. So now we have four names for
the same deck: `Waite-Smith', `Rider Waite', `Rider-Waite Smith' and now `Smith-Waite' to complete the confusion.
The last three names are all constructions made after 1972 when Stuart R. Kaplan of USGS obtained the rights to
reissue the pack. Even if Rider was the first publisher, his name was never connected with the deck nor used in
promotion or any early articles and books.
The book/deck set comes in a heavy box, which opens in the middle like a book revealing two inner compartments,
which again can be opened by lifting each of their lids. In the left compartment we have the books plus postcards
and prints. Under the right lid we find the deck (which has no box of its own but a light blue drawstring bag
made of some synthetic material, which doesn't at all fit in with the otherwise agreeable impression of the set).
One book is Waite's "The Pictorial Key to the Tarot" except that the illustrations are not included (!)
Mr. Kaplan is apparently of the opinion, that the enclosed cards are sufficient. The book is obviously a
photographic reprint based upon either the 1910 or the 1922 edition; which one, Mr. Kaplan doesn't find it
relevant to state. The missing pages with illustrations have forced a renumbering of the text pages, which makes
this edition impossible to be used as a reference. Why Waite’s ‘The Key’ which
accompanied the original edition
was not used instead is a riddle to me.
Further, in the same compartment, we find six postcards depicting a variety of Smith's illustrations plus four
slightly larger prints, one of them rendering a well-known photograph of Pamela Colman Smith. Furthermore a
folder describing three card spreads. The last item in this compartment is what makes the entire set interesting:
a small 101 page pocket size book authored by Stuart R. Kaplan himself and with the impressive title: `The
Artwork & Times of Pamela Colman Smith - Artist of the Rider Waite (!) Tarot Deck'. In this book we find a wealth
of colour illustrations of Pamela Colman Smith's art, most of them from Mr. Kaplan's own collection but also
pieces from other sources. Which ones come from where is not obvious. The text, which, covers only 20-25 pages of
the book's total 101 pages is written in short sentences and it appears more like a listing of Colman Smith's
works and enterprises. This book is however, worth it all for the nicely printed
77 colour and 48 b&w
illustrations. I can't refrain from thinking, how much better the energy of producing this entire set would have
been used, if instead a large size art book accompanied by text from a competent art historian had been published.
But anyway, the book is nicely produced with clear colour illustrations and, as far as I know the only book that
illustrates Smith's art so profusely.
Finally I come to the box's right compartment holding the "Smith-Waite Tarot Centennial Edition Deck'.
Back in 2002 Stuart R. Kaplan, shortly before the International Tarot Society's congress, acquired at an eBay
auction the first Waite-Smith Tarot found with the so-called `roses and lilies'- back pattern. The decks
existence had been known for some time, but so far no copies had been unearthed. Kaplan presented the deck at
the ITS-congress and held out the prospect of publishing a facsimile of the deck under the name of `Waite-Smith',
a name he so far had not used for any USGS-products. The deck in the right box compartment is supposed to be a
reprint of what is popularly known as the `roses and lilies'-pattern. Kaplan's was the first found, later another
one showed up, now owned by a Dutch collector.
Does this new reprint do justice to the original? I have inspected both known decks in natura and I must say that
it doesn't - by any means. We have seen examples that it is possible to reprint a deck, that is so close to the
original, that the difference hardly can be seen. The feeling of the original can only be experienced when the
material used comes close to that of the original, a feeling which this
plasticized edition can not recreate.
Looking at the figures, it is obviously a reprint of the original `roses and lilies' pattern, but one major
reproduction problem is distinct in the coloured background areas, particularly are the blue and grey areas
rather muddy and with larger grains than the original. Another peculiarity is, that the back pattern, which gave
this edition its popular name, has disappeared to be substituted by one single `Irish rose' flanked by a
stylized
version of Smith's well known signature which even is missing its characteristic period sign. The ways of tarot
publishers are past understanding.
What was the purpose of calling this reprint edition `Smith-´Waite'? I can see two explanations: Stuart R. Kaplan
would, undoubtedly, consider the many female `tarot readers' in USA, who constitute the majority of his customers.
There have recently been voices advocating Pamela Colman Smith as the true creator of the Waite-Smith tarot.
The fact is, imo, that without Waite there would not have been a `Smith tarot', all the while there easily could
have been a `Waite Tarot' with another artist. Luckily, the two of them found each other and created this
inevitable tarot. The other explanation for the name is a lot more down to earth. Kaplan wanted to register the
deck's name as a trademark, which he likely could not do, since the name `Waite-Smith' was already used publicly.
I, for example, registered the web-name `Waite-Smith.com' back in 2002.
Summing up: The book with PCS's illustrations in colour are worth the whole set. The deck is acceptable but not
more than that. Waite's `Illustrated Key' with no illustrations is a disaster. The box it all comes in is
gorgeous. All made in China (even if I am in doubt about the deck's origin since there is no statement about that).
Read more on
www.arnellart.com/manteia
(section:
waite-smith research)
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Pamela Colman Smith Commemorative Set
U.S. Games Systems Inc.
ISBN: 978-1-57281-639-8
Review first published on Manteia Online
© K. Frank Jensen 2009
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