Prophet Fortune Telling Cards
Prophet Fortune Telling Cards copyright and made by Thomas de la Rue & Co., 1933.
The Prophet Fortune Telling Cards were published by Thomas de la Rue & Co. and registered in the U.S. Library of Congress Copyright Office on June 17, 1933*.
The cards themselves are not exciting to look at, being in black and white only and without any images.
There are four meanings per card (thus 200 in all), but only the one in the top left-hand corner is to be read out when the cards are laid out.
The cards are square in shape, with rounded corners. The back design incorporates the signs of the zodiac, stars, horseshoes, a swastika (symbol of good luck), etc.
According to the leaflet, only 35 of the 50 cards should be dealt at any one time; the “remaining 15 cards should not be turned up for very few people meet with a full experience of life”! •
See the leaflet►
See the box►
Above: Prophet Fortune Telling Cards, Thomas de la Rue & Co., 1933. 50 cards + instruction leaflet in box with hinged lid. Size: 82.5 x 82.5 mm.
Further References
Jensen, K. Frank. The Prophetic Cards, cat. no. 3.17. Roskilde, Denmark, 1985
* Library of Congress Copyright Office, Catalogue of Copyright Entries, Part 1, Books group 1, (New series, volume 30 for the year 1933), no.5705. Available online here►
By Roddy Somerville
Member since May 31, 2022
Roddy started collecting stamps on his 8th birthday. In 1977 he joined the newly formed playing-card department at Stanley Gibbons in London before setting up his own business in Edinburgh four years later. His collecting interests include playing cards, postcards, stamps (especially playing cards on stamps) and sugar wrappers. He is a Past President of the Scottish Philatelic Society, a former Chairman of the IPCS, a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards and Curator of the WCMPC’s collection of playing cards. He lives near Toulouse in France.
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