The Limited-Edition Crowley and Waite Victorian Tarot …and more!
We are proud to offer as the main reward for this Kickstarter campaign a unique tarot deck, inspired by rare Victorian era photographs. It features actual photographs from 1837-1901 that have been skillfully AI-merged with the project artist’s original photographs and design elements.
The First 250 backers will receive a one-of-a-kind handmade box. Plus backers will be given access to The Crowley and Waite Victorian Tarot digital e-book, 3 vintage-style Carte de Visites, and a 9” x 11”, 2-sided cheat sheet. And more!
The Limited-Edition Crowley and Waite Victorian Tarot Deck backer’s reward arrives to you with the following:
1. An expertly crafted 78 card deck based on the traditional Rider, Waite, & Smith deck. This enchanting collection features cameos of important historical mystical figures such as Arthur Edward Waite, Pamela Colman-Smith, Aleister Crowley, G. I. Gurdjieff, Helena Blavatsky, Manley P. Hall, and others.
See the Major Arcana. See the Minor Arcana
2. The first 250 funders receive a custom hand-made, wood holding box. The top, emblazoned with the Crowley & Waite logo design. Additional funders will receive an alternate box.
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3. A full color, map-folded cheat sheet that offers brief meanings for all 78 cards, both right-reading and reversed.
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4. Three 19th century-style Carte de Visite photos featuring the Pamela Coleman-Smith as the Queen of Wands, Aleister Crowley as the Devil, and the Three of Swords.
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5. The Crowley & Waite Victorian Tarot Guidebook. In this e-book you will find well over 100 pages of illustrations and expanded card descriptions.
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6. A special card that grants access to the fully illustrated Crowley & Waite Victorian Tarot e-book that tells the stories behind the namesakes of the deck. It also provides in-depth information on each of the cards.
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7. A special instructional Tarot Reading Layout card that shows the individual configurations used by Arthur Edward Waite and Aleister Crowley.
(See above)
8. The custom bubble pouch mailer, adorned by the fronts and backs of several of the card designs (see photos and video).
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The Story
Who is Helio Graphis Press and what’s the Story Behind this Project:
My name is Garin Horner and Helio Graphis Press LLC is the name of my creative business. In addition to my artistic life, I’m happily married, and we have an awesome 21-year-old son. I’m also an art professor, photographer, and author of five books. I have an MFA degree from Cranbrook Academy of Art. I’m a member of the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain and the Society for Photographic Education. For over 30 years I’ve exhibited my award-winning photography around the world and my work is collected by several museums in the United States.
Since 2017 I have been working on a book project titled, A Feather on the Breath of Ra: Conversations with an Alchemist on Light, Photography, and Magic (click title for more info). The subject of the book is a contemporary alchemist and photographer named George Kingswood. My interest for making The Crowley and Waite Victorian Tarot came from many conversations with Kingswood about divination cards and tarot cards, particularly the part they’ve played throughout his family history. He also described very specific imagery for a Divination Deck that his great-grandfather designed in the late 1800s. For my next card project, I hope to recreate the Kingswood deck.
About the Limited-Edition Crowley and Waite Victorian Tarot Deck:
Welcome to The Crowley-Waite Victorian Tarot! You will find that in many ways this premium quality deck is unique among the vast assortment of tarot card decks. For instance, though the format of the deck is modeled after the enduring Rider-Waite-Coleman-Smith deck, the imagery on the cards are photorealistic. Some of the images, like the Hanged Man, have also been reimagined to expand their intuitive, symbolic meanings. The design concept for the card’s imagery is based on vintage cabinet cards, photographs widely produced across the U.S. and Europe throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In fact, cabinet cards became the most popular format for portrait photography during the Victorian era.
Another thing that makes The Crowley-Wait Victorian Tarot so extraordinary is that it is a fusion of actual vintage cabinet card portraits, late 19th century landscape photos, and the photographic art and design of Garin Horner. Note: all sourced vintage photographs are in the public domain and copyright free.
See an example of how the cards were made.
In addition, Horner used contemporary tools to bring historical figures to life, like the namesakes of this deck: famed occultist Aleister Crowley and scholarly mystic Arthur Edward Waite. Among the portraits in the major and minor arcana Horner highlighted many people, both real and fabled. Doing so, he fabricated remarkable photo-realistic imagery that stirs the imagination and awakens a reader’s intuition.
About the Box:
The Crowley & Waite wood boxes are hand-made, with metal hinges and clasps. They are individually finished, using all four elements. The all-natural stain was made by mixing black tea, white vinegar, and steel. The solution was cooked over a fire. Then the boxes are dipped one at a time, then air dried in the sun. The top of each box is hand-printed with the Crowley & Waite logo design, using environmentally safe Akua intaglio soy ink. The box edges are adorned with a gold hand-rub. Please note that each box is unique in its color, grain pattern, and hand-applications. Also, each has its own texture and degree of rust (yes, there is rust). No two boxes are the same! NOTE: These boxes are reserved for the first 250 backers. After that, an alternate box will be provided.
About the Crowley & Waite Cheat Sheet:
The 9” x 11” map-folded sheet includes illustrations that showcase all 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana. Next to each picture there is a short series of words that embody the meaning/emotion/impression that the card communicates. The purpose of the cheat sheet is to help readers quickly unlock the intuitive insights each card has to offer.
About the Carte de Visites:
In the mid 19th century Carte de Visites (photographic visiting cards) were hugely popular in Victorian parlors! Photography studios sprung up all over Europe and America offering to produce the small, relatively inexpensive portraits. People loved them because they could be carried in a pocket or displayed in an album. The Crowley & Waite Victorian Tarot project includes three Carte de Vistes. They are actual photographic prints of 3 of the deck’s most popular cards: Pamela Coleman-Smith as the Queen of Wands, Aleister Crowley as the Devil, and the Three of Swords. The pictures are suitable for carrying, framing, installed in an album, or placed on an altar.
About the Crowley & Waite Victorian Tarot e-book Key:
When you open the box and explore the treasures inside, you will discover that the first card on the deck is the key to accessing the Crowley & Waite Victorian Tarot e-book. The key is a QR code. Using your phone or computer’s camera, you can activate the link that takes you to the book.
Tarot Reading Layout Card:
On this deck card you will find diagrams of the favorite reading layouts used by A. E. Waite and Aleister Crowley. Waite’s favorite pattern was the Celtic Cross Spread (10 cards), which has become a classic among tarot readers. Crowley devised his own system called the “Thoth Spread” which incorporates 15 cards. His method of reading focuses on five triads that represent specific aspects of the querant’s life. This Crowley and Waite card explains the meaning of each system’s positions in the respective tarot spreads.
The Crowley & Waite Victorian Tarot Guidebook:
In this e-book you will find well over 100 pages of illustrations and expanded card descriptions, both right-reading and reversed. Swipe pages to reveal lavishly illustrated reports of each of the 78 cards. The design appears to be a library’s scanned version of a rare, ancient tome on alchemy or magic. Unlike a physical book, this one is easily searchable, saving you time when you need to access important information on specific cards.
Additional Rewards:
Three Turn of the Century-style Cabinet Cards (Limited Edition):
This exclusive collection of hand-made 4 ¼” x 6 ½” cabinet cards feature custom, hand-made and cut sepia prints, mounted on heavy mat board. The reverse sides of the cards display studio designs, typical of vintage cabinet cards. These cards are suitable for display on a shelf, in a cabinet, on a wall, or on one’s altar. The subjects on the cards in the collection are:
1. Pamela “Pixie” Colman-Smith (1878 - 1951) is pictured as the winged Queen of Wands. Coleman-Smith is the celebrated artist who drew and colored the card designs for the original Rider-Waite Tarot deck. The passionate creator is seated on a throne with a posture that is regal, reflecting confidence and authority. The Queen holds a wand in her left hand, symbolizing her connection to the element of Fire. The wand is adorned with six-pointed star, indicating growth, creativity, and the flourishing of ideas. In addition, the Queen of Wands has a happy, courageous, confident, and assertive expression, indicating her ability to take charge and lead with enthusiasm. She embodies the qualities of a charismatic, self-assured, and influential leader.
2. Aleister Crowley (1875-1947) captivates as the Devil. Throughout his life he personified the notion of half man and half beast. In fact, he referred to himself as, “the beast”. As the Devil, he represents the earthly embodiment of temptation and desire. At his sides stand two of his Scarlet Women, Jeanne Robert Foster and Lisa Hirsig. Crowley holds the Devil card from his own tarot deck, the Thoth deck.
3. This card features a heart that is pierced by three swords. The heart represents emotions, love, and relationships. The piercing swords symbolize pain, sorrow, and the emotional wounds inflicted by difficult experiences. The positioning of the swords may also suggest the origin of the sorrow—coming from thoughts, words, or actions. The three swords point downward, indicating the penetrating nature of the pain. The background shows a stormy atmosphere suggesting a turbulent emotional climate. The storm reflects the intense emotions associated with heartbreak and sorrow. At the same time, rays of light emerge through the gloom, suggesting that healing is possible.
A Complete 5 Print, Limited Edition Photography Portfolio of George Kingswood by Garin Horner:
These images were made for the forthcoming book, A Feather on the Breath of Ra: Conversations with an Alchemist on Photography, Light, & Magic. Each of the handmade 8 x 10, full color prints depict contemporary alchemist George Kingswood. Kingswood is shown in five different ceremonial rooms of his 4th generation family home. See examples of the images below. The collection includes:
1. Kingswood in His Library
2. Kingswood's Apothecary
3. Studio of Invocations
4. The Kingswood Temple Room
5. Kingswood’s Laboratorium
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(Click on photos to see a larger image)
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Risks and Challenges to Project Completion:
First and foremost, I will work hard to make your pledge experience a great one! I’m dedicated to seeing this project through to its end, when you have your rewards in your hands. As a professor and exhibiting artist, I have an extensive experience with project planning! As for this project all the artwork, photography, and designs are finished. I have, in my hands, a successfully printed prototype of the C&WVT deck. My printer is on standby, ready to print the cards.
I also have made successful prototypes for every component that goes in the box, including some custom boxes. I even have prototypes of the mailer. All preparations are complete, and multiple manufacturers are ready to go. I will personally check every box, deck, and components for quality. If you find any defects, then I will replace them if I have them.
Still, supply chain hiccups, production quality issues, or other unforeseen obstacles may occur. I appreciate your patience, and I will work diligently to ensure you receive your "Crowley & Waite Victorian Tarot" rewards on schedule. I will be transparent throughout the process and keep all backers informed and up to date with what is happening during the process.
Accountability on Kickstarter (live link) https://help.kickstarter.com/hc/en-us/sections/115001107133-Accountability
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Shipping:
Shipping within the continental United States is FREE. Outside the United States you will be charged what the carrier quotes as the shipping price. International shipping and GST/VAT costs will also be additional charges. Chances are that you will receive your reward items without any problems. But, since I am producing a specific number of items, I’m sorry but I can’t preplace any packages that are lost or damaged in transit once they ship.
To ensure the most efficient and economical shipping process, your shipment may be divided into multiple shipments. This measure helps maintain reasonable shipping costs and protects items, like Cabinet Cards, from potential damage during transit.
Your understanding is appreciated, and it is advised that backers outside the US consider potential additional shipping costs while making your decision. Rest assured, everyone involved in this project is dedicated to delivering your rewards promptly and efficiently.
Shipping costs, based on weight, should be around XX USD Worldwide. It's important to note that this estimation does not take into account potential fluctuations in shipping fees, and in the event of any unforeseen circumstances related to shipping, there might be a need to cover additional costs.
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See the Pledge Tiers and Rewards Here!
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