The World of Playing Cards Logo

Thomson-Leng Tarot

Published July 03, 1996 Updated March 24, 2023

The Thomson-Leng Tarot Cards were issued by the publishers of women's magazines during the 1930s. The cards are loosely based upon the Rider-Waite tarot.

1935 United Kingdom Alf Cooke / Universal Thomson-Leng Tarot
Thomson-Leng Publications Tarot booklet, 1935

Thomson-Leng Publications Tarot, 1935

The THOMSON-LENG Tarot Cards (and the Romany Fortune Telling Cards) were issued by the publishers of women's magazines during the 1930s. The cards are loosely based upon the Rider-Waite tarot, but also on other sources, and are becoming unusual to find. The name of the designer / illustrator is not known. Some of the designs reappear in Maritxu Guler's “Tarot Esoterico” published by Fournier, Spain.

Thomson-Leng Publications Tarot printed by Universal Playing Card Co Ltd, 1935

Above: Thomson-Leng Tarot cards manufactured by the Universal Playing Card Co. Ltd, Leeds, England c.1935 for Thomson-Leng Publications, Dundee & London. 78 cards + extra card + instruction booklet.

Thomson-Leng Publications Tarot, 1935
avatar
1,481 Articles

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

1992 22 Artisti Liguri in 22 Arcani

22 Artisti Liguri in 22 Arcani

Collaborative set of major arcana devoted to Christopher Columbus and his voyages of discovery.

1995 Treasures from the Bodleian Library

Treasures from the Bodleian Library

Rare books, manuscripts, music scores, portraits, maps, gospels, chronicles and other valuable artef...

1975 The Tarot of Meditation – Yeager Tarot

The Tarot of Meditation – Yeager Tarot

Marty Yeager’s original Tarot of Meditation from 1975, republished later by U.S. Games Systems, Inc....

1987 Engel-Tarot

Engel-Tarot

Set of major arcana designed by Alois Hanslian depicting angels throughout.

1863 Victorian grocer’s scale plate

Victorian grocer’s scale plate

Large flat plate decorated with highly coloured English cards and royal arms.

1984 Tarot Actuel 1984

Tarot Actuel 1984

Major arcana to cut out, issued with the French magazine Actuel, using photographic images.

2024 Queen of Arts

Queen of Arts

A wide variety of women artists celebrated on cards with illustrations by Laura Callaghan.

1990 The Glasgow Pack

The Glasgow Pack

Issued to celebrate Glasgow’s reign as European City of Culture in 1990, with city views and works o...

2018 Cathedrals, Abbeys & Minsters playing cards

Cathedrals, Abbeys & Minsters playing cards

54 pictures of different famous cathedrals, abbeys and minsters in England and Wales.

2018 Christmas Carols

Christmas Carols

Christmas Carols playing cards illustrated by Stuart Dilks

1798 Pam is the Knave of Clubs

Pam is the Knave of Clubs

Playing cards as metaphors in 18th century art - from fate, chance and social hierarchy t...

1920 Question and Answer Games

Question and Answer Games

A card game called “Impertinent Questions and Pertinent Answers” was launched in the early 1920s by ...

1711 Dr Sacheverell

Dr Sacheverell

Dr. Henry Sacheverell's impeachment in 1710 sparked widespread public unrest and political upheaval,...

1990 Leadmill playing cards

Leadmill playing cards

Promotional pack for an arts centre in Sheffield with designs by Martin F. Bedford.

1975 Mountain Dream Tarot

Mountain Dream Tarot

Groundbreaking Tarot created by Bea Nettles, using photographs and photo montage.

2024 Agatha Christie and card games

Agatha Christie and card games

Agatha Christie uses card-play as a primary focus of a story, and as a way of creating plots and mot...