Fortune Telling from the 1970's
My Nan passed away a couple of years ago at the young age of 95. My mum and Auntie tell me that she used to dabble in the paranormal quite a bit with seances and Ouija boards back in the day. When she passed away, my Auntie gave me her deck of cards that she used to read. She has used a typewriter and stuck the meaning on each playing card. They are easily 50+ years old. They are too special and old for me to use but I always wonder what mischief she got herself into. They were accompanied by some cutouts from New Idea magazine and a Fortune Telling book from the 1970's. Due to overwhelming demand when I first shared this story, I have written down the meaning of each card and also taken shots of the articles and information that you might enjoy. While the cuttings are from the 1970's, given that the card meanings talk about telegrams, who knows how old they are. Some cards are missing and others have had the meaning fall off, but here is what I was able to translate. I don't know what kind of spread she used to read the cards, but I hope you can get something out of it. If anyone was to do a reading using these meanings I would love to know. It is nice to know her legacy lives on.
The cards
2 Spades Nil
3 Spades Nil
4 Spades Nil
5 Spades Nil
6 Spades Nil
7 Spades Removal. Difficulties. Discovery.
8 Spades Signing legal papers. Journey by road or rail movement. A hospital bed.
9 Spades Delays. Disappointments. Serious Illness. If near Ace of Spades A Death.
10 Spades Prison. Bad Morals by night. Generally a bad card
J Spades Male from infancy to 25. Very dark eyes and complexion. Often Latin or Foreign extraction
Q Spades Female any age. Very dark eyes hair and complexion. Often Latin of Foreign extraction
K Spades Man over 25. Very dark hair and complexion. Often Latin or Foreign extraction
A Spades Nil
2 Diamond Nil
3 Diamond Nil
4 Diamond Nil
5 Diamond Nil
6 Diamond Nil
7 Diamond A gift. A gift of money.
8 Diamond Business Change, business uprise. A new business enterprise.
9 Diamond A surprise. A large sum of money
10 Diamond A Journey. Usually money when surrounded by or with other diamonds.
J Diamonds Male from infancy to 25. Blue, Grey or Green Eyes. More Fair than dark.
Q Diamond Female, any age. Blue Grey or Green eyes. Very fair, very blonde or red hair.
K Diamond Man over 25. Blue, Grey, or Green Eyes, Very Fair, Very Blonde or Red Hair
A Diamond Nil
2 Clubs Nil
3 Clubs Nil
4 Clubs Nil
5 Clubs Nil
6 Clubs Nil
7 Clubs Certainty. This card gives certainty to the cards nearby.
8 Clubs Vexation, Confusion. A person who drinks a lot.
9 Clubs Quickly. Serenity
10 Clubs Interstate travel by water.
J Clubs Male from Infancy to 25. Brown Eyed. (More dark than fair).
Q Clubs Female. Any age. Brown Eyes. More dark than fair.
K Clubs Man over 25. Brown Eyes. More dark than fair.
A Clubs A letter. A quick message by phone, telegram or cable on a quick message,
2 Hearts A kiss of affection within 2 days, weeks, months or years
3 Hearts New. A new acquaintance within 3 days, weeks, months or years
4 Hearts If near a court card a person in uniform. Difficulties to be overcome.
5 Hearts Nil
6 Hearts A discovery. Affection.
7 Hearts A new idea. When near to Diamonds or hear the idea will be successful
8 Hearts Happiness love and affection. When near a court card show the person who is love or who loves.
9 Hearts The wish card. Hopes, dreams and ambition.
10 Hearts Triumph. A chance away from home. A place or amusement and engagement.
J Hearts Nil
Q Hearts Female, any age. Hazel to Green eyes, More fair than dark.
K Hearts Nil
A Hearts Domestic troubles. The house.
** After initially posting this article, a reader contacted me and knew what the 'game' was that Nan had marked the cards with. The cards are to be read from the 7's up (That's why you can't find info from Aces-6's) and the court cards are to represent the querent.
New Idea 10/07/1976
Here are some clippings on numbers that she kept from an edition of New Idea from 1976. Also, check out the ads!!
Reading Tea Cups
She also left behind a Fortune Telling magazine published in 1974. While I can't post every article, there was an interesting one on teacups you may find useful.
I hope you enjoyed this little blast from the past. I feel very lucky to have been able to keep such a person heirloom and even more intrigued about the special interest we obviously share. I have heard since she passed many stories of Saturday night Seances and Ouija boards that had been buried in the backyard from the things she would get up to. I guess she has the answers she was looking for now!
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