The Pictorial Key to the Tarot by Arthur Edward Waite

$50.00

SKU: QR-000026

  • Excellent 1959 update to this book
  • First Edition for Updated Material, First Printing
  • Published by University Book
  • Cellophane protected dustjacket (good condition)
  • See photos for condition on book, some spotting

Only 1 left in stock

Item Condition & Return Policy

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First published in 1910, Waite’s seminal work remains the definitive text on tarot symbolism and divination. This 1959 update edition preserves the author’s original scholarship while incorporating refined reproductions of Pamela Colman Smith’s iconic illustrations—the very images that established the Rider-Waite-Smith deck as the twentieth century’s most influential tarot.

Within these pages, Waite unveils the esoteric significance behind each of the seventy-eight cards, drawing from his extensive knowledge of Hermetic philosophy, Kabbalah, and Western occultism. The text progresses from fundamental concepts of divination to complex interpretations of the Major and Minor Arcana, offering both the novice reader and seasoned practitioner invaluable insight into the cards’ multilayered symbolism.

This volume features Waite’s complete instructions for traditional Celtic Cross spreads and lesser-known divination methods, alongside his philosophical meditations on the tarot’s role as a key to ancient mysteries. The 1959 edition’s improved printing quality renders Smith’s intricate linework with exceptional clarity—revealing details often lost in earlier printings.

An essential addition to any collection of occult literature, this edition represents both a historical artifact and a practical guide to one of divination’s most enduring traditions. Bound in characteristic mid-century cloth, it carries the weight of decades of study within its pages—a testament to the enduring power of symbol and archetype.

Additional information

Weight 24 oz