Insight Institute Tarot
During the late 1940s and 1950s The Insight Institute, of New Malden in Surrey, ran correspondence courses on the Tarot, which consisted of lessons with homework which was checked by tutors as well as a set of 'Authenticated' Tarot cards.
During the late 1940s and 50s the Insight Institute ran a series of correspondence courses on psychic development subjects including the Tarot. The Institute also published a set of ‘Authenticated’ tarot cards which supposedly restored the ‘correct’ symbolic imagery. The correspondence course lessons, prepared after extensive research by Frank Lind, describes the origins of the tarot as ‘Indian’, introduced by gypsies who spoke Romany. This theory would have been current in the 1940s, although the Italian origin of tarot, or tarocchi, was already known.
The Institute was later renamed The Insight Institute School of Personal Analysis and Development. The principal of the Institute was Adrienne Arden, and the “Directors of Studies” were Richard Eden, Noel Jaquin, Colin Evans, Edward Whitman, Vera Crompton and Frank Lind, who subsequently published the correspondence course material under his own name as “How to Understand the Tarot”. The tarot cards which originally accompanied the Insight Institute correspondence course are produced by silk screen printing in plain shades of pink and yellow, with green in the trump cards.
The Court Cards
The Trump Cards
Frank Lind probably carried out his “extensive research” at the British Museum in London, where he would have been able to view several antique specimens of Italian tarocchi packs, minchiate packs and playing cards, from which the Insight Institute court cards are derived, as well as Tarot de Marseille decks which are the inspiration for most of the trump cards in the Insight Institute pack. The remaining minor arcana, or numeral cards, are also based on early Italian designs. The meaning of the inscriptions of some trump cards is obscure. It is on this basis that the pack was ‘Authenticated’. He would also have consulted the current literature on the subject, which would have included several theories concerning the origins of the tarot as well as theories concerning the occult significance of the trump cards. It also needs to be borne in mind that early books on playing card history tended to copy from each other and replicate the same errors and myths.
The cards and book were later re-published during the 1970s and also associated with Richard Gardner who continued to claim that the cards were ‘Authentic English tarot cards’. Later editions of the cards have brighter shades of colour, and rounded corners.
By Simon Wintle
Member since February 01, 1996
Founder and editor of the World of Playing Cards since 1996. He is a former committee member of the IPCS and was graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal for many years. He has lived at various times in Chile, England and Wales and is currently living in Extremadura, Spain. Simon's first limited edition pack of playing cards was a replica of a seventeenth century traditional English pack, which he produced from woodblocks and stencils.
Related Articles
Woodblock and Stencil Jack of Hearts
A limited edition art print of the Jack of Hearts 1984 woodblock joker.
Woodblock and Stencil King of Diamonds
A limited edition art print of the King of Diamonds 1984 woodblock joker.
Woodblock and Stencil Queen of Clubs
A limited edition art print of the Queen of Clubs 1984 woodblock joker.
Woodblock and Stencil Jack of Clubs
A limited edition art print of the Jack of Clubs 1984 woodblock joker.
Sweetule Natural History cards
Small cards featuring natural history subjects, given away with packets of sweet cigarettes.
Lend Me Five Shillings
or “Her Majesty’s Privy Purse” - a merry round-the-table game published by D. Ogilvy.
Laughing Made Easy
a Victorian card game published by D. Ogilvy.
Classic Card Games for Kids
A boxed set of playing cards, Happy Families and an alphabet pack with rules for 22 games.
So-Lah – A Game of Music
An early 20th century domino-type musical card game by Goodall.
Marmite
Fifty-Four images celebrating a UK savoury spread, that has been around one hundred and twenty two y...
Word Making and Word Taking
How crossword and spelling games became popular.
Film Noir
A deck of 55 cards, celebrating hard boiled heroes, wise-cracking women, mean streets, guns and gums...
Science Fiction
A deck of 55 cards, celebrating a time when Science Fiction truly was, Science Fiction.
The Beatles playing cards
Two packs featuring photos of The Beatles issued by the same publisher in 2004 and 2005.
Costume Playing Cards
Four centuries of costumes from the Costume Court at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Commoners playing cards
Created by Ian Cumpstey dedicated to the common land and the countryside.
Liber Ludorum
Liber Ludorum playing cards created by Ian Cumpstey in the insular style, United Kingdom, 2019.
Pike and Clover playing cards
Pike and Clover playing cards created by Ian Cumpstey, Cumbria, UK, 2018.
Inglewood Hunting Deck
Inglewood Hunting Deck created by Ian Cumpstey, United Kingdom, 2023.
Pin-Ups
A deck of 55 cards celebrating a golden age of cheeky, naughty, bold and curvy ladies in film.
Classic Movie Posters
A deck of 55 cards presenting vintage classic movies and their stars.
That’s Entertainment
A deck of 55 cards celebrating 20th Century vaudeville, musicals and cabaret.
British Monarchs
Commemorating the royal wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales to Lady Diana Spencer on the 29th
Rock & Pop Legends
Stunning photos of a selection of US and UK music artists.
The Beatles • Yellow Submarine
A colourful deck celebrating the 1968 animated feature film based on the Lennon/McCartney song of th...
Dutch Court playing cards
Games & Print Services’ version of the Dutch pattern.
Past Masters’ Association Presentation Pack
The Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards Past Masters’ Association Presentation Pack, 2013....
The Search for New Games in the late 19th century
A few new games survived and are still around today; most came and went and are only witnessed in th...
Miniature Card Dominoes
A miniature set of Goodall domino cards (5.9 x 3.5 cms) still in perfect condition.
T. Drayton & Son
Bezique and Whist boxed sets by T. Drayton & Son, London, c.1875.
Colour doodle deck
“1952-2002 commemorative deck” customised with doodles by an uncredited artist, UK, 2011.
I Gatti Originali di Evelyne Nicod
Etchings of cats on a set of major arcana created by Evelyne Nicod.
Tarot de Madrid
Black-and-white photographs of models whose faces are made up using elements found on the major arca...
Alice in Wonderland: we’re all mad here
Alice in Wonderland themed playing cards, UK, 2020.
Mythological tarot by Michael Schatzberger
Mythological tarot by Michael Schatzberger, Passau, Bavaria, early 19th century.
Wren 300 playing cards
Papercuts by Chloe Campbell of the 52 Wren churches in the City of London.
Marlow playing cards
Visitor attractions and businesses to be found in Marlow, Buckinghamshire.
Playing Politics 2010
“Playing Politics ’10: With no expenses spared” featuring caricatures by Oliver Preston, published b...
Playing Politics ’92: Pack of lies
Playing Politics ’92: Pack of lies with caricatures by Grant Robertson, UK.
B-Deck
“B-Deck” scurrilous playing cards poking fun at a former UK prime minister.
Animal Tarot by Joseph Fetscher
French-suited Natural History Tarot deck by Joseph Fetscher, Munich, c.1820.
Winstanley Geographical cards
Facsimile of Winstanley’s Geographical cards produced by Harold & Virginia Wayland, 1967.
Meal Tub Plot
Meal Tub Plot playing cards [facsimile] with 17th century sketches by Francis Barlow.
Golf playing cards
Golf playing cards published by Marks & Spencer, UK.