The Hub Presents
Melissa Townsend's Tarot
(El Teddy's Tarot)
 
This very unusual tarot deck was conceived by Melissa Townsend while she worked professionally as a reader at El Teddy's restaurant, which is in the TriBeCa section of Manhattan.  The cards were originally drawn on the backs of El Teddy's business cards, which gives them an odd proportion (longer and narrower) and since they were drawn in the dusky lighting and hectic atmosphere of the restaurant, and drawn quickly, they have a rough graphical look to them that is sometimes comical in its simplicity, yet always exactly on course for the meaning of the card.  It is as if Townsend perfectly captured the essence of each card in a "least common denomenator" image.
 
The cards are fitted into the box in two side by side stacks which are such a tight fit that you can't drop the entire stacks in whole, you have to put in like ten cards at a time on each side and continue to put them in side by side that way.  For the same reason, then, the cards don't come OUT of the box easily.  The box itself is a very nice little liftoff lid design.  I have to admit, I was much more impressed with this deck than I thought I would be.  I've seen reviews of it on the net, and even some images, and I didn't like what I saw, till I got a copy to look at.
 
The Major Arcana are traditionally titled and ordered, with the exception of the Judgment card, which is here presented as The Angel.  This takes its inspiration from the Marseille style cards rather than the Rider-Waite.  I actually think the imagery here is a blend of both Rider-Waite and Marseille style, though the ordering is definitely Rider-Waite.  Strength is 8 and Justice 11.  Cards are bordered in white with a white text box above the image, containing the Roman numeral for the card, and a text box below which has the title of the card in cursive handwriting.  Some of the imagery is quite sexual in these cards, though tastefully done.  I personally love the Devil in this deck, he is shown with a cheesy grin on his face as he holds the man and woman in his hands and is toying with them.  It reminds me of a naughty boy who has got hold of his little sister's Ken and Barbie dolls and is taunting her with them by playing with them in front of her.
 
The Minor Arcana in this deck also appear to be a combination of Marseille and Rider-Waite styling.  The numbered cards are illustrated with simple scenes but the suit items seem arranged often like the Marseille.  Arabic numerals are incorporated into the images themselves.  Numbers are also written out in cursive handwriting in the text bar at the top of the image, and the suit name is written out underneath.  Suits are Wands, Swords, Cups and Coins.  The Court Cards in this deck blend Crowley's Thoth style with the Rider-Waite for title and ordering.  They are King, Queen, Prince and Princess.
 
There are two additional cards in this deck, one which is a solid black image area, and one which is a solid white image area.  Many people use blank cards in their readings, these give the same sort of emphasis but with a positive/negative energy assessment.  The black and white cards show polar opposites of extreme feeling, black covering the depression and negative feelings, and white showing the extreme positive feelings of joy and excitement.  Both need to be taken in perspective.  Both can affect the rest of the reading by their presence, rather than having a complete meaning unto themselves; they are modifiers.
 
The cards themselves are longer and narrower than standard, and are printed on a stiff card stock, with the corners left on and not rounded, this lends them that "business card" air that was so much a part of the original designs.  They shuffle and handle fairly well.  They are coated with a light semi-gloss coating for protection.  The back design is a strange geometric patterned thing in a light caramel color against a paler beige.  It's rather unattractive coloring, I don't like orangey colors much.  The design *is* reversible.
 
The little white booklet which comes with this deck is a large thick stapled paper thing with 115 pages of some of the best information I've ever read on tarot cards.  Of course it only applies to this deck, for the most part, but there is so much good stuff in here, Townsend should really write a book.  For each card, she gives a section on "What it Means," a description "About the Card," and a "Traditional Meaning."  She then gives the same length of information for the same card, in reversal.  This allows the user to really understand the difference between reversed and upright meanings.  Only one spread is given, the Celtic Cross.
 
I highly recommend this tarot set to anyone who comes across it.  It was a limited run print series so there aren't that many copies floating around.  Definitely one of the best sets I've seen in a while, as low-key as it is.  Beginners could probably work with it, and collectors will find it a must-have.  Enjoy!
 
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Review Copyright 1999 by Gina M. Pace
 
Melissa Townsend's Tarot by Melissa Townsend, 1994
published by The Hub, no ISBN available.