Aleister Crowley : Thoth Tarot Cards / Deck [Ordo Templi Orientis] by Aleister Crowley, Lady Frieda Harris - 1969

St. Paul, Minn. 55165, U.S.A./Printed in Hong Kong: Llewellyn Publications, 1969. [sic] n.d. but 1972. The True, First Ever Hong Kong Llewellyn Printing, in two-piece Gold Foil Slipcase Box. A seemingly Unused Deck. Cards truly feel New in hand. The Slipcase Box quite exceptional and sturdy. Light bump bottom front corner (see scan), touch of age, with the Gold Foil inner sleeve Fine and remarkable thus, being usually found rubbed due to inserting and removing from the outer box. As above, this is the First ever, Llewellyn Hong Kong Printing lacking the numeral "8" on the "Eight of Cups / Indolence", and "Ace of Discs" image inverted, Caliph / O.T.O. card "Printed in Hong Kong", light bump. There still remains some confusion on the original Llewellyn Thoth publishing date, erroneously believed to be issued in 1969. The Thoth Tarot Cards / Deck was in fact first released in the Summer of 1972. Announced in Llewellyn's inaugural issue of The Gnostica News (Vol. 1 #1, Sept 1st, 1971), this first advertisement on the back wrap states: "Crowley's Thoth Tarot...Available Soon At The Gnostica". It is said that it was not until early December 1971, that Carl Weschcke, of Llewellyn Publications, sent advanced copies of the Cards to Grady McMurtry, with more advance copies to follow in February 1972. The First ever Thoth Cards by Llewellyn, printed in Hong Kong (Dai Nippon), was released the Summer of 1972, with advertisement in "The Gnostica News" (Vol 2, #1 / August 21st, 1972 ), showing the Thoth Cards / Deck, for the first time, "available for purchase". Llewellyn Publications followed this First 1972 Hong Kong Printing with two corrected printings, that were "Printed in U.S.A.", by Morgan Press, New York, improving on the First 1972 Hong Kong printing with a heavier card stock, and slightly better color using two-part color separation (It wasn't until the U.S. Games Edition 1978, that four-part color separation was used, much enhancing the quality). The First "corrected" Second printing was 1973, "now in their second printing" (The Gnostica News, Vol. 2, No. 5, March 21st, 1973), still lacking the numeral "8" on the "Eight of Cups / Indolence" card, and the "Ace of Discs" inverted. These errata were corrected in the Third printing. It is said, it was not until late 1975, early 1976 that McMurtry was negotiating the re-release of the deck with Weiser, that was released in 1978 (ISBN : 0-877284-52-0), the same year U.S. Games Systems published their "Thoth Tarot Deck", with four-part color separation, and decorated borders.. First Edition, First Printing. Cards/Slipcase Box. As New/Fine. Illus. by Lady Frieda Harris. 24mo size - 5¾" tall.