A. E. Waite, the creator of the world’s most influential Tarot deck, was a spiritual seeker and mystic who supported himself with freelance translation and writing. In 1889, under the pseudonym Grand Orient, he published A Handbook of Cartomancy, Fortune-Telling and Occult Divination, is one of the first books in English on how to read Tarot. His fascination with the occult scene drew him into membership in the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, but his spirituality gradually evolved away from ceremonial magic and toward Christian mysticism.
The Rider-Waite-Smith Story
In 1909, Waite paid Smith a flat fee for illustrating his Tarot deck. He chose Pamela for the job because of her talent, their common membership in the Golden Dawn, and because he believed her clairvoyant abilities would help her perceive the higher mystical truths he was attempting to convey with his deck. She not only didn’t benefit financially from the deck, but the publisher’s name was put on the deck instead of hers. Recently, the tarot community has been correcting this injustice by referring to the deck as the Rider Waite Smith (RWS) or Waite Smith deck (WS). If you would like to learn more about Pamela, we suggest you check out the Book Pamela Colman Smith: The Untold Story.
The Classic Rider-Waite-Smith Deck
available in Popular Size Options
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Standard
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Pocket
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Mini
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Giant
The Worlds most Popular deck !
Quality US Games Edition
78 cards sized
2.75" x 4.75"
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Handy smaller sized version of the standard Rider-Waite deck.
Quality US Games Edition
78 Cards sized
2.25" x 3.5"
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Miniature-sized version of the world's most popular tarot deck!
Quality US Games Edition
78 Size Cards
Sized 1.75" x 2.875"
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The Giant Rider Waite Deck also encourages tarot readers to focus and concentrate on a single card at a time, fully exploring its meanings
Quality US Games Edition
78 Cards
Sized 4" x 6.5"
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"A unique feature of the Rider-Waite deck, and one of the of the principal reasons for its enduring popularity, is that all of the cards, including the Minor Arcana, depict full scenes with figures and symbols. Prior to the Rider-Waite Tarot, the pip cards of almost all tarot decks were marked only with the arrangement of the suit signs -- swords, wands, cups, and coins, or pentacles. The pictorial images on all the cards allow interpretations without the need to repeatedly consult explanatory text. The innovative Minor Arcana, and Pamela Colman Smith's ability to capture the subtleties of emotion and experience have made the Rider-Waite Tarot a model for the designs of many tarot packs." -- (from The Encyclopedia of Tarot, Volume III)
Rider-Waite Tarot was named one of the Top Ten Tarot Decks of All Time by Aeclectic Tarot.
Color Options
TextVirginijus Poshkus has successfully undertaken the task of re-colorizing an iconic tarot deck and enhancing the beloved artwork created by Pamela Colman Smith. His carefully chosen palette of vibrant color brings new energy and radiance to the 78 cards of the Rider-Waite® Tarot. The updated look replaces Smith’s thick, black outlines with subtle shading that gives depth to the familiar scenes. Radiant Rider-Waite’s enhanced brightness highlights the traditional symbolism that readers rely on for insightful readings. The card backs have also been given the fresh new look of a star-filled deep, blue sky. Radiant Rider-Waite® Tarot includes an instruction booklet with an Introduction by Stuart R. Kaplan.
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Pamela Colman Smith's artwork was pumped up with vibrant colors by Frankie Albano. The deck was originally published in 1968 and went out of print just a few years later. There was sufficient demand for this deck so U.S. Games Systems re-issued a facsimile deck from the original in 1991 and it has remained a staple for tarot collectors since. The colors are bright with lots of purples and greens, which help readers focus on details they might have otherwise missed. This is a vivid deck that appeals to those nostalgic for the psychedelic sixties or who appreciate the "wow" factor.
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The Smith-Waite Centennial Tarot Deck is a faithful reproduction of the original deck created by Pamela Colman Smith in 1909 under the direction of Arthur E. Waite. This classic tarot deck features full pictorial scenes in the muted colors chosen by “Pixie” herself. The deck was first issued in 2009 by U.S. Games Systems as part of the Pamela Colman Smith Commemorative Set. This stand-alone version is for collectors who want to keep their PCS sets pristine and yet do readings with this special deck. The 84-card deck includes the standard 78 tarot cards plus four samples of Pixie’s non-tarot artwork: Much Ado About Nothing, The Gates of Dreamland, Christmas Carol and Once in a Dream.
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Related Books
Written with thoroughness and clarity, this insightful guide walks you through the meanings of each of the 78 cards and explains how to interpret them in a spread. Illustrated with the Radiant Rider- Waite Tarot, Exploring Tarot is a user friendly handbook for beginners as well as experienced readers who want to refresh their tarot skills.
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The Ultimate Guide to the Rider Waite Tarot details the ten most important symbols on each and every card in the deck complete with hundreds of illustrations for easy use. In addition to an explanation of the symbols, each card is given a brief interpretation by topic: Primary meaning Prognosis or tendency Spiritual meaning Love and relationship.
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This complete guide shares the compelling story of the deck's creation, a complete analysis of what each card means, and 78 spreads to help you integrate each card's unique spiritual energy. Discover how artist Pamela Colman Smith and occultist Arthur Waite combined their knowledge of astrology, Kabbalah, metaphysics, mythology, and theater to realize their profound vision.
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