Insight Institute and Richard Gardner Tarot

[BrightEye]

A few months ago, at a fair, I bought a vintage copy of the Richard Gardner Tarot https://www.abriefhistoryvintage.com/sold1/1970-richard-gardner-rare-tarot-card-set-2005-tarot-book-78-cards-england (I paid much less than the price quoted here!). I have the corresponding book too (The Tarot Speaks). The Gardner Tarot is a brighter version of the Insight Institute Tarot, apparently https://www.wopc.co.uk/tarot/insight-institute. The latter is rather lovely with its muted colours. Both decks seem a curious mix of different Tarot traditions. Has anyone worked with either of these decks?

[gregory]

I have - I think - every version of it, including an original. Even the colouring varies hugely ! It is an odd deck - I have read with it, and it worked fine, but TdM isn't quite my thing.

[BrightEye]

How many versions are there? Are there more than the two that I found?

[gregory]

One moment.....

The Insight institute one, from 1949 or so

A version published privately by Richard Gardner in 1970 (red, yellow and green, VERY pale colours) - sounds as though that is the one you have

One published by Rigel in 1974, also red yellow and green, and much brighter

And one from 1975 calling itself the Rigel Tarot, subtitled the English Tarot, in red yellow and blue

[BrightEye]

This is the one I have, with this particular back design. The booklet is apparently an extract of the Gardner's book, The Tarot Speaks, published by Rigel Press. What looks blue in the scan here is actually green. But I much prefer the Insight Institute colouring.

Edited April 29, 2023 by BrightEye

[gregory]

That's for real ! These are the other two backs I have: the first is from the green and red 1974, ad the other from the blue and red which says it;s 1975. And thanks for raising the issue; I have ended up misfiling them and now need to find my copy of the one you have !!!

 

 

 

[BrightEye]

That 1974 back design is really nice! I suspect I have the 1970 edition then. Do you also have the one from the 1940s?

[gregory]

Yes indeed, as I said back up the thread.   And it was cheap, too... and NOT even bought way back when; 2009, from a fellow tarotista on one or other of the many forums around at that point....

And I'm sure you have the 1970 one.

[BrightEye]

6 hours ago, gregory said:

Yes indeed, as I said back up the thread.   

Yes you did, didn't you 🙄 

[gregory]

I did. But thanks anyway - I have now got them all filed in their RIGHT places !

[gregory]

Another article:

 

https://www.wopc.co.uk/uk/english-or-rigel-tarot-cards

[BrightEye]

Very nice - thank you!

[Samus18]

I own several tarot decks and am a practitioner myself but I am concerned about this one…
 

Is this the same Richard Gardner who believed that child molesters and pedophiles are not sick and that society should consider their behavior normal?

[DanielJUK]

@Samus18 I think they are 2 different people. Richard Gardner, the tarot artist, I presume was British, all their decks and books were published through UK publishers

There is an American child psychologist who went by Dr Richard A Gardner who had controversial views.

[gregory]

They are indeed different people.

Here's "ours"

https://credencedawg.wordpress.com/tag/richard-gardner/

 

And in this book he is thanked for help with translation:

 

Special thanks to Richard Gardner and Diana Faber who helped with this translation. http://autorbis.net/oswald-wirth

 

I can't see any suggestion that the psychologist ever worked in the UK, and if you look at his CV on line, I dont; think he'd have had time. I believe OUR guy set up and owned Rigel Press, who first published his (he pretty much claimed the Insight Institute deck which he republished in livelier colours, first as the "Authentic English" and then as the "Rigel Tarot" and as the RG tarot (his initials...)

 

Ooh - didn't know this one (by OUR guy)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Purpose-Love-Richard-Gardner/dp/085528000X

Edited January 15, 2024 by gregory

[gregory]

There's also VERY interesting mention of him here:

https://www.richcoffeymusic.com/thoughts/thoughts-on-music/poseidon-analysis.htm

[Samus18]

Very well. Thank you all for the clarification. I couldn’t wrap my head around the idea of a monster having any interest in re-designing a divination tool intended for fortune telling and used for spiritual improvement. Madmen like him are self indulgent and are more likely to invent some wacko system geared towards protecting themselves and others alike. 
 

Thank you again for easing my concerns gentlemen.

[gregory]

I ain't no gentleman. Just saying. I am the Granny from Hell.

[DanielJUK]

Let's get this thread back to discussing the Insight Institute and the metaphysician Richard Gardner and their decks. The other one is really outside the boundaries of what the forum discusses 🙂

[Samus18]

The sarcasm is unnecessary. A childish rebuttal to a closed discussion? Carry on.

 

[joy]

37 minutes ago, Samus18 said:

The sarcasm is unnecessary. A childish rebuttal to a closed discussion? Carry on.

 

Can you please explain what you mean with your comment? There was neither sarcasm nor anything childish in the previous post.

[Samus18]

Joy - I mistook Gregory’s tone for sarcasm. Apologies for the misunderstanding.

[gregory]

Gregory is amused. It happens a lot. Peace to all.

[joy]

1 hour ago, Samus18 said:

Joy - I mistook Gregory’s tone for sarcasm. Apologies for the misunderstanding.

Ok all good. 🤣

[DanielJUK]

We have already asked once, but this thread is going off-topic. It's not fair for the members in this discussion within the Historical Tarot section, discussing the Insight Institute and Richard Gardner and their historic decks.

I've removed the posts discussing locations as it doesn't add to this discussion topic. The global place names are a very worthy discussion but would be best in our off-topic Chatter Room section for subscribers

 

Please can we keep this thread on topic about the Insight Institute and Richard Gardner