What are the two extra cards that come with the deck? They are significator cards.
For those who don't know, a significator card is used to represent the person who is getting their cards read, aka the querent. It is chosen from the deck being used and is generally a court card. For example, a card reader sitting with an older gentleman may choose the King of Swords to represent him before shuffling & laying out the rest of the cards. This card selection can vary depending on the reader's designations.
Some card readers will not use a significator at all as they don't want to remove what could potentially be a crucial card to come up during the reading. Some readers will use a card from another tarot or oracle deck altogether to represent the questioner. Others will ask for a picture to use during the session.
For this deck I found two amazing images of fortune tellers to use as significators. The idea is to use one for the female querent (left) and one for the male querent (right).
The card at left, the female significator, features a Victorian photo from c. 1901 of a Far-Eastern man reading playing cards for a seated woman festooned in beautiful white attire. She is seated and you get the idea that she might be quite tall. I wonder where in the world they are?! The reading table looks Indian and my imagination runs with the thought that the woman must be living or visiting abroad in British India.
The card at right, the male significator, has an image of a young woman reading a man's palm, dated c. 1890's. The photo is by Fitz W. Guerin, a Victorian photographer who owned several studios and became well-known after winning a prize at the 1878 Paris World Fair. The thing I love about this image is that the Romany woman, adorned in lovely fortune-telling garb, has something serious to share with the male Querent. Her formidable pointer finger is raised, cautioning him. He, in his straw boater hat, gazes at her with a stupefied awe. At least that's what I pick up from his open-mouthed stare.
I hope you find these extra cards useful.
For those who don't know, a significator card is used to represent the person who is getting their cards read, aka the querent. It is chosen from the deck being used and is generally a court card. For example, a card reader sitting with an older gentleman may choose the King of Swords to represent him before shuffling & laying out the rest of the cards. This card selection can vary depending on the reader's designations.
Some card readers will not use a significator at all as they don't want to remove what could potentially be a crucial card to come up during the reading. Some readers will use a card from another tarot or oracle deck altogether to represent the questioner. Others will ask for a picture to use during the session.
For this deck I found two amazing images of fortune tellers to use as significators. The idea is to use one for the female querent (left) and one for the male querent (right).
The card at left, the female significator, features a Victorian photo from c. 1901 of a Far-Eastern man reading playing cards for a seated woman festooned in beautiful white attire. She is seated and you get the idea that she might be quite tall. I wonder where in the world they are?! The reading table looks Indian and my imagination runs with the thought that the woman must be living or visiting abroad in British India.
The card at right, the male significator, has an image of a young woman reading a man's palm, dated c. 1890's. The photo is by Fitz W. Guerin, a Victorian photographer who owned several studios and became well-known after winning a prize at the 1878 Paris World Fair. The thing I love about this image is that the Romany woman, adorned in lovely fortune-telling garb, has something serious to share with the male Querent. Her formidable pointer finger is raised, cautioning him. He, in his straw boater hat, gazes at her with a stupefied awe. At least that's what I pick up from his open-mouthed stare.
I hope you find these extra cards useful.
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