| Tarot Treasure Match by Two Japanese AT Members 22nd Dec. 2006 saw a "Taot Treasure Match" by two Japanese members of Aeclectic Tarot Forum "roppo" and "kenji". Believe it or not they are both the inhabitants of the distant local area of Japan called "***uoka"; kenji with his big bag full of rare tarot-related items drove a sleek two-seater-sports car an hour till he reached roppo's alleged haunted house. But as long as it was a Tarot Treasure Match roppo had no chance. He is a mere tarot lover with ample knowledge of manga and anime while kenji is now considered as the finest tarot historian and collector in Japan. |
 The first round began by kenji's ruthless bombardment with his TdM collection. Genuine
Conver of 19th Century was good enough to kick away roppo's poor TdM made
by (name withheld by request). Isn't it quite a show to see such antique
rare cards at once? His Conver (known as Kenji-Conver among us) is in fine
condition with brilliant colours. |
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 The second round. Roppo was not there without reason. He is a kind of histroian in his
own right and his special interest lies in the Golden Dawn and allied themes.
He encounterd kenji's rare GD item "First edition of Tarot by S.L.MacGregor Mathers" with his "First edition of The Magical Ritual of Sanctum Regnum translated by W. Wynn Westcott". The splendid collision by the two
Adepts! |
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 The third round invited kenji's Pamela A, B, C. Roppo was simply helpless to face such
determined, confirmed, almost monstrous tarotholic syndrome! All he could
do was to produce PCS's handmade magazine The Green Sheaf. Okay, kenji. Honest confession would be greatly appreciated. How much
have you spent on Tarot? |
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 The fourth round. Kenji's Pamela A, B ,C stimulated roppo's defiant zeek-spirit which brought forth tatterd old magazines of Late Victorian & Edwardin era, not only The Green Sheaf, but also, wonder of wonders, the first issue of The Unknown World edited by A. E. Waite!"Were you really born in 20th century Japan, sir?" gasped kenji. |
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 The fifth round. Now roppo started to strike back with his book collection, but alas, they
are not strictly tarot-related things. The left is some Crowleyaya from
roppo's nearby bookshelf. The pamphlet "Exhibition of Occult and Alchemical
Designs for the Cards of the Tarot of the Egyptians" is the eye catcher.
And the first editions of 777 Revised and Moonchild. A part of original dust jacket of Moonchild was cut out and pasted as a frontpiece. |
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 The final round. At last! Kenji's collection is a vast and thorough one, well proven by
the sheet version of Oswald Wirth Tarot. "What kind of animal is this?"
groaned roppo who at this stage already waved his white flag. |
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Thus endeth the battle between kenji and roppo. The Tarot cards shown above are just a tip of huge iceberg kenji is industriously building up. We have a good reason to believe there shall surely be a Tarot Museum in ***uoka area sooner or later. |
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 Exhibition. In a "Tarot Teasure Match" we have to show off "treasure"
whatever it is. The left is a sort of laughing stock and accordingly got
excluded from the official match by tacit rules. A hand made prototype
of Oujupah Tarot version 3.1. And traditional "Un-sun Karuta". |