The World of Playing Cards Logo

The Millenium Tarot: Tarot of the Four Worlds

Published September 23, 2024 Updated September 23, 2024

First Australian Tarot, designed by Mary Susan Chamberlain, with artwork by Ziba Vilmanis-Westenberg.

1984 Australia Sharples Mary Susan Chamberlain Ziba Vilmanis-Westenberg Kabbalah Tarot

Australia is not a country one immediately associates with Tarot cards. However, at least six Tarot packs were created and/or produced in Australia prior to 2014†. The earliest of these was The Millenium Tarot, thought to be the first Tarot pack designed and produced entirely in Australia. It was the result of a collaboration between Susi Chamberlain, the conceptual designer, and Ziba Vilmanis-Westenberg, the artist. A wide variety of cultures, traditions, races and time periods are represented in the imaginative and colourful designs. The card titles are the traditional ones apart from card 0, The Innocent, which replaces The Fool. The extensive booklet includes a full description of every card. The first edition of The Millenium Tarot was published in a limited edition of 1,500 packs of which 300 were numbered by hand and signed in gold ink by the conceptual designer and the artist.

The Millenium Tarot: Tarot of the Four Worlds, designed by Mary Susan Chamberlain, with artwork by Ziba Vilmanis-Westenberg, printed by Sharples Printers, Australia, 1984 The Millenium Tarot: Tarot of the Four Worlds, designed by Mary Susan Chamberlain, with artwork by Ziba Vilmanis-Westenberg, printed by Sharples Printers, Australia, 1984 The Millenium Tarot: Tarot of the Four Worlds, designed by Mary Susan Chamberlain, with artwork by Ziba Vilmanis-Westenberg, printed by Sharples Printers, Australia, 1984

Above: The Millenium Tarot: Tarot of the Four Worlds, designed by Mary Susan Chamberlain, with artwork by Ziba Vilmanis-Westenberg, printed by Sharples Printers, Australia, 1984. 22 cards + 1 extra card + leaflet + 43-page booklet + pale blue silk cloth in gold drop-lid box with paper sleeve. Size: 70 x 120 mm. © Artwork copyright 1984 Mary Susan Chamberlain and Ziba Vilmanis-Westenberg

The box is completely plain (without images or text) so I have not scanned it • See the sleeve See the leaflet

References

† The Millenium Tarot (1984); Bohemian Tarot (1990); Tarot and You (1999); Garden Path: An Antipodean Tarot (2004); Jordan Clarke Tarot (2011); Nine Lives Tarot (2013).

Kaplan, Stuart R. The Encyclopedia of Tarot, Vol. III. Stamford, CT, USA: U.S. Games Systems, Inc.; 1990. pp 350-2.

avatar
532 Articles

By Roddy Somerville

Member since May 31, 2022

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.


Leave a Reply

Default Avatar
Your Name
Just now

Create account to comment Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here.


Related Articles

1984 The Millenium Tarot: Tarot of the Four Worlds

The Millenium Tarot: Tarot of the Four Worlds

First Australian Tarot, designed by Mary Susan Chamberlain, with artwork by Ziba Vilmanis-Westenberg...

1981 Motherpeace Round Tarot

Motherpeace Round Tarot

An original and imaginative feminist tarot based on Goddess energy.

1965 Jeu de Tarot (Catel & Farcy)

Jeu de Tarot (Catel & Farcy)

Colourful version of a standard French (‘Bourgeois’) Tarot.

2024 Paris 2024 Olympics 2

Paris 2024 Olympics 2

A standard French Tarot game pack with passing references to the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games.

2024 Tarot – Images du Pays Basque

Tarot – Images du Pays Basque

Seventy-eight photographic images of the French Basque Country on a pack for playing the game of Tar...

2023 A Million Dollar Tarot: The Alleyman’s Tarot

A Million Dollar Tarot: The Alleyman’s Tarot

The Alleyman’s Tarot successfully raised $1,404,172 on Kickstarter. This unique 133-card deck includ...

2022 Quên Tarot

Quên Tarot

A mystical voyage of love and self-discovery created by Duy Khánh Võ.

2021 Le Monde Primitif Tarot

Le Monde Primitif Tarot

Facsimile edition produced by Morena Poltronieri & Ernesto Fazioli of Museo Internazionale dei Taroc...

1996 I Tarocchi del Buongustaio

I Tarocchi del Buongustaio

A less-than-serious set of major arcana on a gourmet theme, with designs by Cosimo Musio.

2022 Tarot for Baby

Tarot for Baby

This board book simplifies tarot archetypes into accessible affirmations for young children.

Animal Tarot by Johann Jobst Forster

Animal Tarot by Johann Jobst Forster

French-suited 78-card animal tarot deck of the Bavarian type.

2002 Scenic Views of Australia

Scenic Views of Australia

54 different scenic views of Australia in full colour.

1985 I Gatti Originali di Evelyne Nicod

I Gatti Originali di Evelyne Nicod

Etchings of cats on a set of major arcana created by Evelyne Nicod.

1984 Tarot de Madrid

Tarot de Madrid

Black-and-white photographs of models whose faces are made up using elements found on the major arca...

1825 Mythological tarot by Michael Schatzberger

Mythological tarot by Michael Schatzberger

Mythological tarot by Michael Schatzberger, Passau, Bavaria, early 19th century.

1820 Animal Tarot by Joseph Fetscher

Animal Tarot by Joseph Fetscher

French-suited Natural History Tarot deck by Joseph Fetscher, Munich, c.1820.