This is one of the more interesting and weird little decks that I have seen in a while.  It's not a new deck by any definition, but one I just never got around to until now.  The box makes the claim that this is "The Easiest Fortune Telling Tarot Ever."  I'm not sure it lives up to that claim by any stretch of the imagination, but this deck was published in 1984, and back then there were not a lot of decks competing for that title.

One thing that distinguishes this deck is that it is rendered in black and white.  I would not, however, call this deck suitable for coloring.  Rather, it is sketched in a somewhat surrealistic style reminiscent of Shel Silverstein books or Edward Gorey works.  Heads are disproportionately large and weird costumes and comic poses are the norm. The art is generally good, just weird.

The deck is very obviously based on the Marseille style of European Tarot decks and especially seems intended more towards the fortunetelling aspects rather than the more psychological and esoteric aspects you will often find in newer decks.  Many of the Major Arcana titles are recognizably older style, such as the Juggler instead of the Magician.  In most Marseille style decks, the title of the card is Le Bateleur (French) or Il Bagatto (Italian), both of which allude to the trickster or street magician form of Magician, rather than the esoteric type.  To my way of thinking this card alone is a symbol of the difference of outlook between the Marseille style and the Rider-Waite style, which treats the tarot in a more psychological and esoteric manner and the image of the Magician on those decks bears that out.  The order also follows Marseille style, with Justice being 8 and Strength being 11.

The titles are as follows:

1 - The Juggler (in lieu of The Magician)
2 - The Popess (in lieu of the High Priestess)
3 - The Empress
4 - The Emperor
5 - The Hierophant
6 - The Lovers
7 - The Chariot
8 - Justice
9 - The Hermit
10 - The Wheel
11 - Strength
12 - The Hanged Man
13 - Death
14 - Temperance
15 - The Devil
16 - The Tower
17 - The Star
18 - The Moon
19 - The Sun
20 - Judgment
21 - The Universe (in lieu of the World)
22 - The Fool

The Minor Arcana are similarly handled Marseille-style; suits are essentially pip cards (arrangements of suit icons instead of actual scenes) which, in my opinion, belies the claim that this deck is "The Easiest Fortune Telling Tarot Ever!"  I don't know how *anyone* learns to read the Minor Arcana when there's no scenes.... but that's just my opinion.  The Aces in this deck are Ones.  One of Swords, One of Cups, etc.  The suits themselves are Cups, Swords, Wands and Disks.  I expected the suits to be Swords, Batons, Cups and Coins.  I guess in this one element they take more from the Crowley style.  The court titles are King, Queen, Knight and Knave.  There is very, very little difference visually from one King to the next, from one Queen to the next, etc.  I hesitate to say they're identical in each set, but they sure are close.

The cards themselves are quite small and handle and shuffle really comfortably.  They are printed on a thin, flexible cardstock with a semi-gloss coating that makes them slip and slide a little till they are broken in.  The edges are smooth and corners rounded.  The back design is a black background with two white hands reaching out towards the center.  Initially they look reversible but then you realize that when the cards are upright, the hands are both palms up, and when the cards are reversed the hands are palms down.  The little white booklet has concise but effective meanings for each card with notes on fortunetelling.  The real value of this booklet comes in the form of the three spreads which are described within, most of which are new and quite ingenius.  None are the Celtic Cross Spread.

I recommend this deck mostly for collectors but anyone who uses a Marseille style deck may find this an intriguing and refreshing change of pace.  I always feel like the Marseille style is like a standard car and the Rider-Waite is like an automatic; people who've learned on a standard can always drive an automatic, but people who learn on an automatic can't drive a standard unless they learn it all over again...... so it's good for a more experienced person to work with, but not a beginner.... of course, the artwork is groovy enough to appeal to people as well.  Overall impression, weird but cool!

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Review Copyright 2000 by Gina M. Pace

Simplified Tarot Deck by Jan Bauwens, 1984
published by Carta Mundi, Belgium