The Cosmic Tarot by Norbert Losche

[Decan]

I searched on the Forum but didn't find a thread about this deck. Sorry if I missed it!

So I open this thread on this Tarot deck that I saw on forums in the past, but didn't own it myself, since lately.

 

It follows and doesn't folow the RWS system, or broadly, therefore it isn't a RWS clone.

It is a nice deck, with something vintage with vibrant colors, and most of the cards are very nice. Actually it is very evocative and it reads very well.

For the card stock, it's a mass market deck (not really expensive), and the cards are maybe a bit thin, but it's okay, and the backs are beautiful too. The Moon card is gorgeous in this deck (one of the most beautiful in my opinion, but other cards too, like the Fool and more).

 

Are they people who are fan of this deck on the forum? Let us know your impressions and views 🙂

 

Edited May 18, 2021 by Decan

[vulprix]

What a beautiful deck! Thank you for the thread, @Decan.

 

I had a copy of the Cosmic Tarot for years. I did read with it occasionally, and we never really clicked. I did end up passing mine along to someone else who I hope loves and uses it more 🙂 

 

One thing you can’t take away from this deck is its sheer beauty! The portraiture is very realistic and entrancing. There is also a palpable mystical quality to the artwork, inked in from all the stippling to the coloration. Magnificent 😊

Edited May 18, 2021 by vulprix

[Decan]

Yes @vulprix it seems to have a "mystical quality", I agree, thanks for noticed it, something oriental too.

The RWS shows a christian point of view, here it's different.

[katrinka]

I do like the Cosmic, it has a fantastic vibe. A lot of 80's decks don't, but the Cosmic hits the mark, the lines and colors are wonderful.

It's a little distracting for me to read with, since I'm an old movie buff. "Oh hey, it's Gable and Hayworth and Bogie! And there's Tom Cruise - why did Losche put HIM in there? Are both of these cards Garbo? How many Garbo cards are there? I wish he'd included Jean Harlow. Hey look, it's Liz Taylor..." 😁

But I like it and I haven't passed it on, in spite of that.

 

[Decan]

Absolutely Katrinka, you have a good eye!

Honestly, there are movie stars that I recognize, other less (Tom Cruise or Alain Delon for example)

Below an excerpt from the companion book written by Jean Huets (interesting book) to reveal everything about this aspect! 🙂
 

Quote

 

"Several of the Cosmic Tarot people are based on movie stars:

II High Priestess Greta Garbo

King of Wands Sean Connery

Queen of Wands Liz Taylor

Prince of Wands Tom Cruise

Queen of Cups Greta Garbo

Prince of Cups Alain Delon

Princess of Cups Greta Garbo

Two of Cups Humphrey Bogart & Ingrid Bergmann

Queen of Swords Ingrid Bergmann

King of Pentacles Gregory Peck

Prince of Pentacles Charles Bronson

Nine of Pentacles Rita Hayworth

Two of Pentacles Fred Astaire"

 

The Cosmic Tarot book by Jean Huets

 

 

[katrinka]

Yes!
Nemia used to have a photobucket album with the cards along with their source photos. Unfortunately, photobucket seems to be completely paywalled now, and I don't know that everything would still be there if I were to pay (which I won't - I don't like the way they changed the rules on us after we'd all uploaded so much there.)

But the source photos are easily found with google. Here's Rita:

[gregory]

Maybe she has it elsewhere ? @Nemia - do you ?

[DanielJUK]

I bought the deck off someone on AT, might have been @PathWalker and I love the retro colours and style. Also it's so fun working out who the celebs are when you look at the people 🙂

[gregory]

6 hours ago, katrinka said:

Yes!
Nemia used to have a photobucket album with the cards along with their source photos. Unfortunately, photobucket seems to be completely paywalled now, and I don't know that everything would still be there if I were to pay (which I won't - I don't like the way they changed the rules on us after we'd all uploaded so much there.)

But the source photos are easily found with google. Here's Rita:

 

I just tried with a couple of cards and ONLY got images of the deck....

[katrinka]

4 hours ago, gregory said:

I just tried with a couple of cards and ONLY got images of the deck....

It won't work with a reverse image search, too many details have been added to the cards.
Just image search the person. Some of them are obvious, like Rita Hayworth above.
Others less so. This is the closest Garbo image I could find to the Queen of Cups. In all the other photos I looked at, she's just not making that expression.

[Decan]

For those who don't have a copy of this deck, but are interested in seeing these cards (with these movie stars), a pic below!

These cards while interesting aren't necessarily all among my favorite cards in the deck though.

 

Edited May 19, 2021 by Decan

[Decan]

Below a little selection of my favorite cards in the deck (not exhaustive!).

 

Edited May 19, 2021 by Decan

[katrinka]

That last one (King of Cups) is Clark Gable. 😁

 

Edited May 19, 2021 by katrinka

[Decan]

I updated my 2 last posts to show better pics of the cards.

 

24 minutes ago, katrinka said:

That last one (King of Cups) is Clark Gable. 😁

 

 

Yes, you're right, in the book Jean Huets didn't list everything... (I have the impression that there are other movie stars too but I'm unsure).

Edited May 19, 2021 by Decan

[TheLoracular]

I don't own it, but I really like this deck and hadn't seen it before that I recall.   Besides having so many stylistic engaging faces and symbol stuff, I like the color hues a lot 

I'm pondered picking it up; I'd end up wanting to write stories for the characters themselves and doing creative/game stuff vs. proper readings.
So many amazing tarot decks, so little money.  

[Decan]

Finally, it is an "exotic Hollywood" 😁

I didn't realize myself how much Hollywood it is, actually I like its retro side with vibrant colors, the winning combo with me often.

The ASS Altenburg Lenormand is like that, retro and very colored, and I like it! Otherwise cheap since it's the mass market (just a little parenthesis)

 

Losche likely worked from photos of old movies for all the cards. And it must have taken time and efforts because the illustrations are very detailed, even the Minors.

Edited May 20, 2021 by Decan

[Nemia]

Movie and ballet. There are some scenes from L'Apres-midi d'un Faune. I have scoured the Internet to find source pictures for these wonderful cards. There is one Bougereau, too - the Bather. And there's Charlemagne of course... 

 

Didn't I have a Tumblr blog once, and didn't I write about the deck there? https://nemia777.tumblr.com/post/156669913888/cosmic-tarot-who-is-who-ii

 

It seems I did. 

 

https://nemia777.tumblr.com/post/156620327953/cosmic-tarot-who-is-who

 

I hope you can see it, whoever is interested. 

[gregory]

@Nemia I PMd you - I can't see your site as it seems to be private ? I tied to sign up, but there is just being an error. (From googling I find there is apparently an issue on the place...) Is there anywhere else you can post them (I did PM you about this already...)

[FindYourSovereignty]

41 minutes ago, gregory said:

@Nemia I PMd you - I can't see your site as it seems to be private ? I tied to sign up, but there is just being an error. (From googling I find there is apparently an issue on the place...) Is there anywhere else you can post them (I did PM you about this already...)

Hi @gregory, not sure if this may help, but I also received the log in error and after a minute or two clicked on the try again or start again button under the error message and it logged me right in. However, it immediately had me going through the “tell us what you want to see here, pick people to follow” etc. I left the page up, came back here and clicked on Nemia’s links and all is well. The posts are amazing! I hope this works for you.

 

[Nemia]

Oh, if people are interested in the lovely Cosmic Tarot, I'll open a thread for identifying EVERYBODY in it! 

[FindYourSovereignty]

Yes, please, @Nemia. That would be wonderful! The ones I’ve seen so far are amazing. I really like this deck and have been curious about the art for years. Thank you for sharing. 

[Nemia]

I love the Cosmic, and when exactly five years ago, there was a thread in Tumblr about tarot decks that are underrated, I wrote about my beloved Cosmic.  I can't post more than three images per post, let's see how I'll deal with that. 

 

Cosmic Tarot. I’ve heard people say that the “celeb faces” are just a gimmick. I disagree. I think the artist saw stars like Garbo, Berman or Bogart as 20th century versions of archetypes. He also used paintings (Bougereau) and ballet scenes for the deck. It’s full of cultural hints and suggestions. The big hair and fashion clearly date this deck but I was young in the Eighties so that doesn’t disturb me. IMO the Cosmic is a great deck, very intelligent and a reflection of the fact that movies and movie stars interact with our unconscious mind powerfully.  

 

Isn't that a glorious image of sophistication, luxury, abundance, but also the feeling that it didn't all simply fall from the sky? 

 

 

Rita Hayworth worked incredibly hard. A dancer from childhood, trained by her father. It can't have been easy. And there she is now, in all her glory. 

 

 

 

[Nemia]

The Princess of Cups. Gentle, sensitive, full of expectations, a bit flirtatious. 

 

 

Lösche must have rejoiced when he found a picture of young Garbo with a pose that implies a cup. She smiles directly into our eyes, and isn't that a dreamy, seductive and elusive smile? A perfect Princess of Cups if you ask me, down to Crowley's Ice Maiden associations... since Garbo was a Swede. 

[Nemia]

Ha, I knew I wrote about it some time ago on Cult of Tarot, and went much further than on Tumblr. If you don't mind, I'll simply set a link so you can go and read the whole thing there: https://www.cultoftarotforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=872 

 

Lots more pictures, and there is still so much to discover. The deck is wonderful, multi-layered and with deep cultural roots. 

[gregory]

Thanks so much - I finally got into tumblr, too - it seems they are having loads of glitches just now.