Oracle Rock
Cartomantic set depicting rock and pop stars, designed by La Rata, with a book by Virginie Despentes.
Linking 54 different rock and pop musicians or groups to cartomantic subjects may seem like an impossible task but that is what the creators of this pack set out to do. Those creators were La Rata, a tattoo artist and illustrator, and Virginie Despentes, who wrote the accompanying text. Thus, Jimi Hendrix represents addiction (5S), Prince insolence (KD), Dolly Parton honest work (7H), Tina Turner serenity (really?!!) (AH), etc.
The cards themselves are striking: about twice normal size, coloured red, black and white only (with black backgrounds for the black suits and white backgrounds for the red suits), borderless, and with red metallic edges. They do not have titles; all is explained in the substantial book which includes images of all the cards plus two or more pages of text in French about each one. The key to the names of the rock stars depicted can be found on the publisher’s website: www.editions-tredaniel.com►
Above: Oracle Rock published by Guy Trédaniel, Paris, France, 2022. Printer unknown. 52 cards + 2 Jokers + 264-page book in French, in drop-lid box. Size: 90 x 128 mm. © 2022, Guy Trédaniel éditeur.
By Roddy Somerville
France • Member since May 31, 2022 • Contact
Roddy started collecting stamps on his 8th birthday. In 1977 he joined the newly formed playing-card department at Stanley Gibbons in London before setting up his own business in Edinburgh four years later. His collecting interests include playing cards, postcards, stamps (especially playing cards on stamps) and sugar wrappers. He is a Past President of the Scottish Philatelic Society, a former Chairman of the IPCS, a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards and Curator of the WCMPC’s collection of playing cards. He lives near Toulouse in France.
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